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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  S.f.LET 

WEBSTER,  NY    I4SB0 

(  716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  InstiYut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


O' 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 
D 
D 


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Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 

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Couverture  reslaur6e  et/ou  pellicul^e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  title  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  geographiques  en  couleur 


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□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


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lors  dune  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  ^tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  ^te  film^es. 


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Ce  document  est  film^  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

/ 

\ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

ails 

du 

idifier 

une 

nage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
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g6n6rosit6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
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sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — •-  (meaning   "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning   "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  film^s  en  commencant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derni^re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  vjr.a  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  chr;.que  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas;  le  symbole  — ^-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  ""FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  etre 
film^s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pou"  etre 
reproduit  en  un  seut  clich6,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  &  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


rrata 
to 


pelure, 
n  A 


D 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

^BI 


A    NAia 


vv 


THE 


r 


<4' 


BLACK  PHANTOM, 


OR 


WOMiN'S   ENDURANCE: 


'  '•^"""■™  C0NNE,.-r.D  w,r„  -n.K   eap.lv  ,„.tc.p.v  op 

CANADA  AND  THE   AMERICAN   UEVOLUTION. 


J'V 


CHARLES  SHKIMPTON. 


NEW   YORK- 
'•l^BLISHED    in-  JAMES   MILLEU, 


5  22     BROADWAY. 


1S67, 


^fl^i/tipr£>fj  c 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  tho  year  18C7, 

By  CHARLES  SlIllIMPTON, 

In  the  Clerk's  (Vlice  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  State.s  for  the 

SoiiUiern  Di.itrici  of  New  York. 


;  i- 


PRELIMINARY. 


In  the  publication  of  the  work  lu're  presented  to  the 
reader,  the  author  has  been  actuated  by  uo  selfish  pur- 
pose. The  thouglit  of  principal  importance  in  issuinp^ 
a  book  for  general  perusal  should  be — what  will  be  the 
probable  influence  it  will  exert  :  is  it  trashy  in  its  na- 
ture, or  vicious  in  its  spirit  ;  will  it  oflV'nd  or  corrupt 
the  moral  sense,  or  to  any  extent  injure  the  intellect,  by 
debasing  it  with  impure  thoughts  and  demoralizing  im- 
agery ?  Or,  on  the  contrary,  is  it,  in  design  and  execu- 
tion, adapted,  by  its  portrayal  of  character,  to  give  a 
winning  beauty  to  virtue,  and  to  exert  a  controlling  in- 
fluence for  good  on  the  mind  of  the  Reader  ?  Is  it,  in  a 
word,  such  a  production,  that  parents  can  place  it  in  the 
hands  of  their  children  with  the  conviction  that,  while 
they  will  be  interested  and  informed,  they  will  receive 
no  detriment  from  its  perusal  ?  The  author,  conscious 
of  his  rectitude  in  this  regard,  leaves  his  work  to  win  its 
way  to  public  favor,  rather  by  its  intrinsit;  character 
and  moral  value,  than  by  an}'  pretensions. to  lit(;rary  ex- 
cellence. 


THE  BLACK  PHANTOM. 


CHAPTER    I. 


On  one  of  those  stormy  nig-hts  tliat  can  porbaps  be 
i'X|>eri(>nced  only  in  Lower  Canada,  when  it  is  impossible 
to  judge  with  certainty  how  soon  the  wind  will  veer,  or 
from  which  point  of  the  compass  it  will  next  come, — the 
snow  driving  with  a  fury  and  an  inijietnosity  that  may 
emphatically  be  termed  ('anadian,  or  whirling  in  ev(.>ry 
direction  in  eddies,  large  and  small,  according  to  the  size 
of  the  obstruction  that  diverts  it  or  imj)edes  its  progn^ss, 
and  in  places  forming  drifts  that  musl  be  seen  t(j  fully 
rcidize  their  magnitude, — while  such  a  storm  is  raging, 
we  will  enter  one  of  those  snuc;  and  comfortable  white- 
washed  cottages  in  the  neighborhood  of  thv^  (Quebec 
Barracks,  in  the  city  of  Montreal,  as  it  appeared  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  last  century.  But  before  doing  so  wc 
will  take  a  cursory  g-lance  at  its  exterior, 

A  substantial  edifice,  known  as  a  franu^-buiUling, 
erected  with  an  eye  to  shelter  its  ()ccu{)ants  from  the 
biting  blast  of  such  a  night  as  this,  with  its  tight-fitting 
doors  and  window-frames  and  double  sashes,  with  all 
the  outside  joints  and  interstices  well  plastered  over, 


6 


TUE    BLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


it  was  well  iidiiptcd  to  keep  .hick  Frost  at  bay.  Tho 
hiiildiii;^-  was  what  niiglit  bo  called  a  story  and  a  lialt', 
with  I'our  doriuLT  windows  in  the  lii<^li,  stcep-Klauting 
voui\  and  four  windows  !  clow,  two  on  each  side  of  the 
door.  Tiie  door  was  shcltcrctl  from  tiie  snow  by  a  teni- 
jtorary  porch,  with  outside  door.  This  porch  was  iii- 
tend(,'d  for  winter  use  only,  and  would  be  removed  in 
early  sprinp^.  At  sonie  distance,  in  front  of  the  building, 
there  was  a  painted  picket-fence,  which  enclosed  a  nicely 
laid  out  flowcr-g-ardcn  ;  but  nothing  of  this  could  be  seen 
on  th(!  night  in  question,  owing  to  the  deep  covering  of 
snow.  In  the  rear  of  the  building  was  a  spacious  yard, 
with  stable,  coach-house,  w«)(Kl-shed,  and  all  other  con- 
veniences comp(jrting  with  respectability.  On  the  front 
d()(/r  was  a  brass  knocker,  with  a  neatly  engraved  door- 
plate,  bearing  the  name  of  "Captain  Walters," — thes(!at 
all  times  being  kept  scrupulously  clean  and  bright. 
The  doors  and  windows,  as  also  the  picket-fence,  were 
painted  a  light  green.  The  whole  of  the  exterior  ap- 
pearance of  the  place  would  impress  the  mind  ol'  the  be- 
holder that  comfort  and  neatness  of  no  common  order 
reigned  within.  On  entering  the  cottage,  this  impression 
would  be  increased  by  the  unmistakable  evidences  that 
woman's  hand  and  eye,  and  tast(!  of  no  ortlinary  grade, 
had  been  at  work,  not  less  by  the  quantity  or  quality  of 
the  articles  there  presented  to  view,  than  by  the  skill 
displayed  in  the  arrang<'nient  and  disposition  of  shade 
and  color,  and  in  the  classification. 

We  shall  not  describe  the  material  or  color  of  the  nice 
curtains,  the  elaborate  })attern  of  the  rich  Turkey  car- 
pet, or  the  kind  of  wood  of  which  the  varied  furniture 
was  made,  or  the   ingenious   wu)rkmansliip   and   costly 


cl 

*  'I 
bl 

iti 

ol 

n 

wl 

m 
ail 
la 
ra 

sc 
w 
th 


W  u  M  AN  S    K  X  1)  U  K  A  N  C  K. 


i(»  l)e- 
)nl(!r 

'ssioii 
that 
title, 

ty  of 
skill 
lade 

iiico 
car- 


carvinjj^  of  the  Kaiiio.  All  these  tliiM;;'s  imisl  1»«'  jiidy-ed 
olTnim  tlie  tanto  and  character  ol' the  occupiuits,  as  tliev 
hecome  niore  fully  devoloped  in  our  narrative.  SuHlce 
it  to  say,  th;it  <»iie  of  the  most  important  and  ('(inspitMi- 
ous  oltjects,  to  our  taste,  was  a  very  neat  hookcase  of 
no  mean  dimensions,  and  tilled  to  its  utmost  capacity 
witli  a  choice  and  well-selected  library.  The  proprietors 
must  have  been  no  mean  lin<j;"uists,  judj;'in;;"  from  th(? 
arra}'  of  works  in  the  modern  an  well  as  the  aiuiient 
lan^iiafjifes  there  represented  ;  vvliile,  frtuii  the  wiih; 
rang'e  of  subji.'cts  end)raced  in  th(!  hi,i;"her  branches  of 
science  and  literature,  they  must,  in  (svery  sense  of  tin; 
word,  be  well  read  and  hi.u'ldy  tutored.  In  the  room  on 
the  other  side  of  the  entrance  hall  there  was  an  elei^ant 
)»iano,  from  om)  of  the  most  celebrated  London  mak(M's  ; 
and  a  larp^e  assortnuMit  of  music  lay  close  at  hand,  on  a 
small  table.  In  the  centre  of  each,  of  the  rooms  there 
was  the  ever-present  and  (>ssential  requisite,  in  that  land 
of  frost  and  snow,  the  larg-e,  square,  Canadian  stove,  and 
near  by,  a  larg'e  box  full  of  hard  maple  firewood. 

This  hasty  glance  at  the  exterior  and  interior  of  the 
dwelling,  will  give  us  some  crude  idea  of  the  standing', 
tlie  characters,  and  the  tastes  of  the  occupants.  Now, 
on  tlu^  eveninir  alreadv  alluded  to,  in  one  of  those  rooms 
there  sat  a  female.  She  had  just  lei"t  her  piano,  and 
was  about  to  take  U))  her  sewing.  On  the  work-table 
there  stood  a  beautiful  branch  candlestick,  with  four 
wax  candles.  It  might  be  seen,  at  a  glance,  that  she 
was  a  person  of  no  ordinary  character  ;  in  every  sense 
of  the  word,  a  true  woman.  We  are  not  going  to  de- 
scril)e  her  eyes,  though  they  were  the  blacklist  of  the 
black,  steady  and  penetrating — possessing,  at  the  same 


°!* 


6 


TUE    liLACK     phantom;    OR, 


tiinc,  all  «'XproHsi»)n  of  soft  and  incltiiif]^  tondcrnosH.  Nor 
kIiuII  w(!  <;iv(!  a  loii^,  j^lowiiij:^  wonl-pictiiro  of  lior  iiair, 
tliougli  it  was  of  tlu'  riclicHt  luxuriance,  and  flossy  rav«.'n 
liuc,  with  a  sli<,^lit  tendency  to  curl.  Her  form  was 
])luin})  and  finely  rounded  ;  her  count<.'nance  expressive, 
and  exhibitin;jc  hi«i^li  int(dli|^ence,  cahn  and  placid  when 
ttt  H'st,  but  oft(,'n  lighted  up  by  a  most  bewitching  sinih', 
and  then  wit  and  wisdom  would  hold  hi;i;h  revel  on  lier 
lips,  althouijjh,  at  all  times,  she  displayed  more  than  com- 
mon firmness.  Her  statun;  was  rather  above  the  medium 
height,  with  a  nice  adjustment  of  breadth  ;  her  step 
was  (d«'an  ;  and,  in  fact,  her  every  movement  muin'- 
fested  rerinement  and  grace.  Her  voice,  manner,  couri- 
tenanc(^  and  deportment  showed  very  clearly  to  the  ob- 
server that  more  than  an  ordinary  amount  of  sorrow  had 
fallen  to  her  lot.  Holding  her  sewing  in  her  hand,  as 
though  in  a  state  of  hesitancy,  casting  a  momentary  and 
furtiv(.>  glai»co  towards  the  window,  as  though  listening 
for  the  sound  of  some  expected  footfall,  then  consulting 
the  (degant  gold  watch  that  she  had  just  taken  from  her 
girdle,  she  looked,  with  a  steady  gaze,  at  the  light  of 
the  wax  tap(»rs,  as  though  revolving  some  weighty  sub- 
j(!ct  in  her  mind  ;  and  ever  and  anon  a  deep-drawn  sigh 
would  escape  her,  which  would  }ave  her  bosom  and 
give  still  greater  dimensions  to  her  well-developed 
bust. 

At  length  there  was  the  sound  of  the  opening  wicket, 
and  tlu?  well-known  cough — sure  notice,  and  welcome 
password  to  the  inner  citadel  of  that  true  woman's  heart 
— and,  cpiick  as  thought,  with  an  elastic  bound,  she  was 
at  the  door,  and  the  bolt  withdrawn.  Be  not  afraid,  ye 
loving  couple,  for  it  is  not  our  purpose  to  say  one  word 


•d. 


s-    she 

t 


;i  111 


dut' 


0 


woman's  endurance. 


0 


38.     Nor 
litT  liiiir, 
sy  nivcM 
irrii   was 
jrcHHive, 
;id  wlini 
ig  smile, 
1  on  her 
liiii  corn- 
iiiLHlium 
ler  step 
it   niiiiij- 
jr,  coun- 
tlio  ob- 
•ow  had 
uuid,  as 
ary  aiul 
stt'iiiiig- 
isidting" 
•orn  lior 
iij^ht  of 
ty  sub- 
n  sig-h 
)in  and 
'doped 

rt'icket, 
elcoine 
i  lieart 
le  was 
aid,  ye 
3  word 


*  "^liont  tliat  or  any  oilier  ol  your  lond  j^reetinj;;s  I     liuL 
she  did  Hay — 

"0  Ri>l»ert,  I  am  so  yrlad  that  voti  are  come  !  Wlnit 
;i  ni;;ht  is  this  to  be  out,  and  yon  so  ill  able  lo  bear  it  !" 

"Yes,  my  p]liza,  it  is;  bnt  yon  know  that  ijarrison 
duty  nuist  be  attended  to,  let  it  be  I'onl  or  fair  weather."' 

"Oh,  yes,  I  do  know  all  that  ;  bnt  I  know,  also,  tiiat 
yon  are  not  so  able  as  you  used  to  be  to  stand  such  ex- 
cessive fatigue,  before  j'ou  wore  so  severely  wounded, 
and  your  long-  siekness  in  consequence." 

"Well,  1  do  feel  a  litth;  the  worse  for  wear  on    iliat 
account  ;  but  1   trust  that  time  and   patience   and   tlie 
blessiiijif  of  God  secondin*:,'  your  very  af]ecti»viiate  nurs 
ing',  will  eve.>  .^lly  bring  all  ri<j^ht  aj^i-ain  vvith  mo/' 

"  Oh  ^  know  that  you  are  always  oo  patient,  J'ubort, 
ami  nt)t  given  to  complaining,  how(?vor  much  you  ii.iiy 
suffer  ;  but  does  not  this  ver}'  severe  cold  night  alfcct 
you,  and  cause  your  wounds  to  be;  more  painful  ?" 

"  Rather  painful,  my  dear  ;  but  you  know  that  a  sol- 
dier must  with  courage  live,  or  must  with  courage 
die." 

"  Yes,  my  dear  Robert  ;  but  it  is  not  only  that  kind  of 
courage  that  will  nerve  the  arm  in  the  dcnidly  conllict 
with  the  f(je,  or  even  to  do  bravely  the  arduous  duties 
of  life,  that  is  necessary,  but  that  more  diflicult  bravery, 
to  take  a  bold  and  decided  stand  on  the  side  of  virtue 
and  the  cause  of  God." 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  I  feel  that  ev(>ry  day  of  my  lift?,  i.  know 
that  it  is  far  easier  to  brave  death  at  the  cannon's 
mouth,  or  to  encounter  the  storm  and  tempest  on  sucii 
a  night  as  this  in  the  pf'rformance  of  our  most  arduous 
duties,  than  to  contend  with  the  vain  and  vicious,  or  to 

1* 


^ 


10 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


H 


bear  up  against  their  supercilious  laugh  or  cutting 
jests  ;  but  if  tliey  did  it  to  the  green  tree,  will  they  not 
also  do  it  to  th(;  dry  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  dear  Robert,  that  is  true  ;  and  with  so 
bright  and  so  beautiful  an  example  before  us,  ought  we 
not  to  bear  the  cross,  as  seeing  llim  who  is  invisible  ?" 

"  Certainly,  my  own  Eliza  ;  and,  when  seeing  Him  by 
the  eye  of  faith,  it  lightens  the  burden,  because  He  bears 
thu  heaviest  portion  with  us. 

"  And  although  our  good  name  may  be  evil  spoken 
of,  and  the  cold  and  piercing  blast  may  rage  without, 
if  we  have  peace  of  conscience  and  conjugal  love  at 
home,  with  the  smile  of  Heaven  to  cheer  our  hearts,  we 
may  then  bravely  dare  and  do,  and  leave  all  the  conse- 
quences to  God.  But  now,  my  dear  Eliza,  we  will  join 
in  the  evening  hymn  of  praise  to  Him  who  has  led  us 
by  a  way  that  we  knew  not,  and  then,  by  prayer  and 
supplication,  commit  our  way  to  Him,  and  crave  His 
fatherly  help  and  guidance  for  the  future. 


of 


-^ 


woman's  endubance. 


11 


cutting 

they  not 


with  so 
Ui^'lit  we 
sible  ?" 

Him  by 
Se  bears 

spoken 
without, 

love  at 
larts,  we 
le  conse- 
vvill  join 
S  h^d  us 
yer  and 
ave  His 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  last  chapter  closed  with  a  portrayal  of  the  calm 
and  peaceful  termination  of  the  day  in  the  dwelling"  of 
Captain  Walters,  We  will  now  introduce  the  reader  to 
a  very  difterent  scene.  It  is  the  officers'  mess-room  of 
tlie  same  regiment  t(j  which  Captain  Walters  belonged. 

The  band  of  the  regiment,  under  the  able  leadership 
of  the  German  bandmaster,  had  just  closed  their  exer- 
cises for  the  evening,  as  usual,  with  the  national  air  of 
"  God  save  the  King."  The  officers  had  j»ist  partaken 
of  a  sumptuous  repast,  which  term  it  is  intended  shall 
convey  a  more  than  ordinary  significance  ;  for  "ach  of 
the  gentlemen  com[)osing  that  company  may  be  sup- 
posed to  occupy  a  high  position  as  to  his  capacity,  judg- 
ing from  the  quality  and  quantitj'  of  the  viaufls  placed 
before  them,  and  the  amount  of  culinary  skill  expended 
in  tlir'ir  preparation.  And  any  defect  or  deficiency  as 
to  either,  or  in  the  manipulation  of  the  French  cook, 
would  have  been  detected  by  the  veriest  tyro  present  ; 
and  then,  judging  from  the  antecedents  of  the  parties, 
could  any  flaw  have  been  detected,  tlu^y  were  not  the 
men  to  allow  it  to  pass  unnoticed,  or,  however  innocent 
the  man  or  trifling  the  cause,  to  sulfcr  any  fault  or  de- 
ficiency to  pass  unreproved  ;  nor  did  they,  under  any 
circumstance,  use  the  most  gentle  or  refined  lang-uage. 
For  these  gentlemen  (we  had  almost  said  these  men^ 
but  perhaps  that  term  might  be  considered  discourteous 


iilii 


12 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


on  our  part,  wliicli  it  is  onr  wisli  to  avoid  ;  we  know, 
however,  tliat  there  is  often  a  wide  diirererice  between 
the  term,  as  well  as  the  real  character  of  "  man"  and 
"gentleman,"  but  it  is  not  our  purpose  to  discuss 
liere  that  question,  or  to  canvass  on  wliicli  side  of 
the  scale  preponderates  real  worth,  but  simply  to  no- 
tice the  supposed  antecedents  of  these  gentlemen),  de- 
scended from  the  ranks  of  the  old  aristocratic;  families 
of  En<rland.  They  had,  of  course,  been  deeply  ind)ued 
with  the  exalted  notions  of  class  privileges  held  at  the 
date  to  wliich  we  are  now  alluding.  They  had  been, 
from  earliest  infancy,  held  aloof  from  contact  with  what 
they  were  pleased  to  call  the  lower  orders. 

As  a  general  thing,  they  traced  the  line  of  their  an- 
cestry to  the  companions  in  arms  of  William,  the  Con- 
queror of  England  ;  hence  it  was  presumed  that  a  purer 
blood  flowed  in  their  veins  than  in  the  veins  of  the 
common  people  ;  while,  as  a  privileged  class,  they  held 
a  mono})oly  in  the  few  leading  S(\'its  of  learning  then 
in  the  land,  which  had  the  t(mdency  to  still  more  widen 
the  chasm  above  alluded  t(j.  The}''  had  also,  from  time 
far  back  in  the  history  of  the  nation,  laid  special  claim, 
as  a  not  to  be  disputed  right,  to  all  places  of  trust  and 
emolument  both  in  Church  and  State  ;  all  tending  to  the 
result  of  an  oppressive  and  extravagant  government 
and  a  bigoted  and  an  intolerant  Church,  while  the 
masses  of  the  people  were  neglected,  ignorant,  and  im- 
moral. 

Then  we  may  naturally  suppose  that  these  genth^men 
would  not  be  much  improved  in  their  morals  when 
relieved  of  the  very  slight  restraints  that  may  have 
held   them  while  under  the  parental   roof,  and  of  the 


1(11 

ui 

ui 

(■()| 

thi 

tli.i 

tin 

tlul 

chi 

dill 

sh; 

fas 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


13 


'laim, 
and 

0  tlie 
ii(>nt 

the 

1  im- 

rnen 
i^hen 
lave 
the 


loose  curb  th;it  rcf^traiiicd  tlioir  rampant  passions  \vhi1(' 
under  tutors,  tliey  liavini;  now  become,  in  a  ;i'reat  meas- 
iir<',  the  arl)iters  of  their  own  actions.  And  when  we 
consider  that  the  younger  part  had  been  successively 
thrown  into  tiie  company  of  those  already  schoole<l  by 
thorough  culture  among  tiiese  fashionable  rak(^s,  and 
tiie  aptness  also  of  the  young  to  copy  from  those  older 
than  themselves,  especially  in  the  darker  shades  of 
ciiaract(.'r — their  pertness  and  wish  to  shine — it  is  not 
dini(Mdt  to  conceive  of  their  ability  to  contribute  their 
share  in  supplying  fuel  to  this  seething  cauldron  of 
fashionable  vice. 

From  a  necessarily  hasty  and  general  view  of  the 
company  now  before  us,  as  they  appear  in  the  officers' 
mess-room,  and  from  general  appearances,  we  judged 
that  they  were  a  go(idly  and  nobh.'-looking  company. 
We  will,  ln)wever,  be  more  special  and  personal  in  our 
survey  and  remarks,  and  endeavor  with  an  impartial 
judgment  to  portray  the  personal  appearance  of  a  few, 
and  to  sketch  their  moral  character  ;  for  that,  after  all, 
is  our  main  object  and  aim. 

Of  course,  the  highest  in  point  of  office  must  claim 
our  first  regard,  and  for  other  reasons  than  merely  being 
the  highest  in  office.  He  appeared  to  be  the  oldest,  and 
had  no  doubt  been  a  dashing  fellow  in  his  time.  The 
Colonel  bore  all  the  marks  of  being  a  man  of  the  woi'ld 
and  a  highly  polished  gentleman,  easy  and  afllabh.'  in 
his  manners  among  his  compeers,  and,  at  will,  could 
throw  just  enough  of  hauteur  into  his  bearing  to  be- 
speak  at  all  times  due  deference  and  respect  from  all  the 
officers  in  the  regiment  under  bis  command  ;  but  he 
held  in  supreme  contempt  any  and  every  person  who  in 


14 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;   OR, 


any  way  atteniptod  to  question  the  dig-nity  or  the  reapcc- 
tahility  of  his  office.  He  was  tall  in  stature,  noble  in 
ills  figure  and  general  carriage  ;  with  an  eye  large, 
clear,  dark  in  color,  and  penetrating'  ;  a  prominent  Ko- 
iiian  nose  ;  a  deeply  bronzed  counte'iiance,  with  all  the 
indications  ot  having  seen  much  and  severe  service. 
But  there  had  been  otlier  influences  at  work,  that  had 
most  seriously  affected  that  line  and  noble  frame,  than 
had  been  encountered  in  the  service  of  his  countrv. 
lie  iiad  been  a  valetudinarian — his  fine  constitution  had 
been  emaciated  by  his  vices  far  more  than  by  the  hard 
professional  service  that  he  had  seen ;  and,  to  use  a  signifi- 
cant expression,  he  was  indeed  a  patched-up  man.  AVo- 
inen  and  wine  were  the  deities  at  whose  shrine  he  had 
been  a  most  devout  worship[)er  ;  '  nd  withal  he  had  been 
no  inattentive  votar}'  at  the  more  material,  but  perhaps 
not  less  enervating,  cuisine  delicacies.  N(jw  he  was  tor- 
mented with  g'out,  together  with  a  legion  of  other  dis- 
eases, that  caused  him  to  totter  on  in  the  imbecility  of 
a  premature  old  age  ;  notwithstanding  which,  the  fires 
of  former  dissipation  still  smouldered  within  him,  and 
the  smirking  frivolities  which  would  but  ill  become  even 
the  boy  not  out  of  his  teens,  subjected  him  to  the  ridi- 
cule and  contempt  of  all  true  admirers  of  manly  virtue. 

The  next  to  be  presented,  in  the  order  of  rank,  is  the 
major.  This  gentleman  was  a  kind  of  nondescript  :  had 
a  large,  full  face,  with  an  unmeaning  expression,  blotched 
all  over,  the  natural  result  of  vicious  indulgence  ;  a 
remarkably  wide  mouth,  and  large,  protruding  lips  ; 
with  a  tongue  far  too  big  even  for  his  capacious  mouth, 
so  that,  when  he  spoke,  it  gave  a  kind  of  abrupt  and 
uneven  blurt  to  his  expression.     To  add  still  more  to 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


15 


rcapec- 
[)ble  in 

'lit  Ko- 

all    the 

srrvicc. 

lat   liad 

c,  than 

ountry. 

ion  liad 

le  hard 

sigMiifi- 

.     Wo- 

he  had 

id  been 

l>erhaps 

,'as  tor- 

T  dis- 

ility  of 

10  fires 

m,  and 

ic  even 

le  ridi- 

irtiie. 

is  the 

:  had 

otched 

a 

ips  ; 

nouth, 

it  and 

lore  to 


le 


iC(!  ; 


the  hidicroua,  he  was  at  all  times  a  loud,  vociferous 
talker,  even  on  the  most  trivial  subject,  if  an}'  tliin,t^ 
that  he  ever  sp(jke  of  could  be  dignified  by  that  term  ; 
for,  in  general,  his  conversation  was  shallow  atid  trifling 
ill  the  extreme,  and,  to  use  a  well-known  expn'ssion, 
uttered  as  though  he  had  plums  in  his  mouth  :  to  which 
might  be  added,  for  aught  we  know  to  the  contrary,  a 
([uantity  of  thick,  sticky  fluid  in  his  throat,  so  that  his 
voice  resembled  a  sound  between  a  mumble  and  a  gur- 
gle. He  had  a  large,  ungainly  person,  surmounting  a  pair 
of  feet  that  appeared  to  have  been  fastened  to  the  wrong 
owner  ;  and  even  that  but  lately,  as  he  had  not  yet  ar- 
rived at  a  just  appreciation  of  their  use  for  straightfor- 
ward locomotion.  Nor  did  it  only  appear  that  these 
feet  had  been  misapplied  as  to  person  :  there  seems  to 
have  been  another  grand  mistake,  for  they  w^ere  not  an 
exact  pair  by  a  very  long  way.  But,  notwithstanding 
all  these  peculiarities,  he  was  evidently  a  general  favor- 
ite amono:  the  wIkjIc  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  rem- 
ment,  altiiough  each  paid  his  attentions  to  him  from 
different  and  widely  divergent  motives.  One  thing  was 
certain,  that  he  was  one  of  the  best-tempered  men,  inoffen- 
sive, and  of  an  amiable  disposition.  The  keen,  pointed 
witticism,  the  plain,  coarse,  rude  joke,  might- be  flung  at 
him  ;  his  person  or  manners  might  be  ridiculed  and  bur- 
les(iued  :  still  he  was  always  ready  with  as  hearty  a 
laugh  as  the  most  hilarious  or  joyous  and  fun-loving 
spirit  present.  He  was  also  very  wealthy  ;  and  who 
ever  yet  lost  the  chance  of  flattering  a  rich  fool,  wh(;re 
any  thing  might  be  made  out  of  him  by  the  operation  ? 
'He  had  been  the  spoiled  child  of  his  mother,  and  in  his 
youthful  days  had  spent  most  of  his  time  in  company  of 


16 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


llic  ladios.  At  tli(^  tinio  of  wliicli  we  arc  wn'tiiip;",  he 
Kcldoin  lost  an  opportniiity  of  JittciKliiio-  tlioir  social 
parties  ;  or  of  accoriipaiiyiiif^  tlieni,  or  latlier  tlioy  accom- 
panyiii<»'  him,  in  their  rides  to  view  the  grand  and  i)ic- 
tures(]ue  scen(My  in  tiie  neighborliood  of  Montreal, — all  of 
which  were  at  his  expense.  Most  of  his  lady  acquaint- 
ances knew  just  what  kind  of  a  smile  would  n^icli  his 
kind  and  tender  heart  ;  and,  in  their  strolls  past  tlie  few 
stoi'es  that  were  then  to  be  found  in  8t.  Paul  street  or 
Notre  Dame  street,  they  knew  that  it  was  necessary 
only  to  admire  that  beautiful  love  of  a  silk  dress,  or 
that  very  handsome  hat  or  bonnet,  in  a  half-careless, 
nonchalant  way,  to  draw  upon  his  purse,  as  well  as  to 
reach  his  heart.  And  so  great  was  his  infatuation 
with  the  ladies,  that,  if  all  the  kings  of  Christendom  had 
made  the  most  urgent  demands  for  his  presence,  there 
would  not  have  been  one  short  moment  necessary  to  in- 
duce him  to  decide  in  their  favor.  It  was  certain,  how- 
ever, that  the  king's  service  ivas  never  known  t(j  suffer 
much  from  his  absence,  and  equally  so  that  the  same 
was  never  much  benefited  by  his  presence.  The  in- 
quiry might  justly  be  made,  What  on  earth  brought 
him  at  all  into  the  British  armv?  Whv,  the  same  cause 
that,  from  time  to  time,  has  brought  others.  It  was, 
perhaps,  first  of  all,  his  own  wish  or  whim  ;  and  he 
being  thought,  })y  his  powerful  friends,  and  especially 
his  wealthy  and  titled  mother,  too  great  a  fool  fov  the 
church,  he  was,  by  a  well-conceiv(Ml  but  private^  under- 
standing, foisted  upon  the  army.  Through  the  inlluence 
of  his  friends  at  headquarters  he  had  been,  from  time  to 
time,  promoted  over  the  heads  of  the  really  talented  and 
meritorious,  but  who  had   no  friend  at  "  court."     Now 


f 


a  I 
w 


ni( 
of 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


17 


tliat  he  was  i?i  tlic^  highway  of  promotion,  from  these 
and  such-like  caiuses,  he  could  not  tail  to  be  borne  on- 
ward from  rank  to  rank,  without  the  least  thought  or 
effort  of  his  own,  until  he  attained  the  elevated  jxisition 
ot"  general,  although  many  doubted  his  ever  making  a 
Marlborough. 

Not  the  least  remarkable  of  the  members  of  this 
mess-room  com})any  was  Captain  Andrews,  a  gentleman 
of  very  few  words.  Ilis  eyes  looked  unutterable  things 
— keen,  penetrating,  and  searching,  as  though  capable 
of  reading  one  through  and  through.  At  the  first  ap- 
proach of  any  person,  there  appeared  to  be  a  kind  of 
slow,  calculating  process  going  on  in  his  own  mind,  as 
though  taking  the  full  mental  and  moral  measure  of  the 
man  lor  his  ulterior  use  and  benefit,  and  which,  by  his 
own  mental  culture,  he  seemed  well  calculated  to  ac- 
complish. And  when  he  had  a[)[)arently  linished  the 
process  in  his  own  mind,  he  seemed  to  (jxercise  great 
caution  and  wariness,  like  the  stealthy  approachc^s  of  a 
cat.  Aiming  to  gain  your  good  opinion,  and  firmly  se- 
cure your  confidence,  with  oily  words,  and  soft  insinu- 
ating manners,  a  stranger  to  him  would  be  led  to  sup- 
pose that  he  was  a  man  of  undoubt(!d  probity.  In  any 
and  all  cases  of  difficulty  he  seemed  to  be  perfectly  at 
home  ;  for,  with  native  shrewdness  and  sagacity,  he 
would  at  once  take  in  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  sul)- 
ject  U'ought  before  him,  and  give  his  advice  as  though 
prompted  by  inspiration, — the  inspiration  being  propor- 
tionably  quickened  where  it  was  likely  to  bring  grist  to 
his  own  mill.  His  own  personal  int(;rests  seemed  to  be 
the  grand  moving  impulse  of  his  entirt^  nature  ;  ho 
appeared  to  be  completel}^  absorbed  in  s(.'lf.     His  whole 


18 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


\l 


iiHiiihood  presented  Ronietliiiif];  of  the  qiuilities  of  the 
magnet,  in  its  mysterious  vvorkiiii^s  ot"  positive  and  nei^-- 
ative  poles,  as  there  was,  indeed,  an  irresistil)le  kiw 
that  urged  liis  whole  being  in  tlu;  direction  where  gold 
was  to  be  gained.  And  he  was  repelled  as  powerfully 
from  the  (opposite  direction,  where  then*  was  the  least 
probability  of  a  draw  upon  his  purse.  There  was  no 
soft  spot  in  his  heart  that  was  ever  known  to  yield  to 
the  plaint  of  the  suffering  child  of  want.  He  was  of 
ratluir  a  tall,  thin,  wiry  frame  ;  harsh  features,  sunken 
cheeks,  and  very  deep-set  eyes,  and  large,  overhanging 
ey(.'brows  ;  of  a  yellowish,  jaundiced-like  coni))lexion  ; 
head  inclined  a  little  forward  when  walking,  or,  rather, 
Ids  forward  movement  was  between  a  walk  and  a  creep, 
as  though  he  was  always  on  the  lookout  for  something 
that  he  feared  to  meet.  He  had  somethino;  of  the  cast 
of  the  Jew  in  his  character,  being  always  on  hand  wliere 
there  was  a  needy  borrower  who  had  ample  security  to 
tender  ;  and  the  amount  of  interest  that  he  would  demand 
wtv  nev(;r  regulated  by  anj^  considerations  suggested 
by  conscience. 

Lieutenant  Broughton  was  a  man  of  quite  an  opposite 
character  to  that  of  Captain  Andrews.  This  man  was 
utterly  reckless  of  person,  property,  and  character  ;  his 
disposition  was  at  once  vengeful  and  cruel,  with  aj)|)a- 
rently  no  more  feeling  than  the  nether  millstcme — utterly 
regardless  of  all  evil  consequences  that  might  follow 
either  to  himself  or  to  others  from  his  outrageous  con- 
duct, lie  was  almost  always  in  difficulties  with  his 
brother  officers,  the  subalterns,  or  private  men  in  his 
company,  or  with  some  of  the  civilians  with  whom  he 
might   have    any    dealings.      Although    he   had    many 


son 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


19 


3    of    tllC 

ble  law 
livo  f>'(»M 
werruliy 
lie  least 

was  no 
yield  t(» 
1  was  ol' 

sii'ikeii 
haiic^iiig 
)lexi()ii  ; 
,  rather, 
a  cre(.'p, 
inotliing 
the  cast 
d  wliere 

urity  to 
demand 

^g'ested 

uppositc 

an  was 

>r  ;   liis 

li   a})pa- 

[utterly 

follow 

ns  coii- 

ith   his 

in  I  lis 

loni  he 

in  any 


wealthy  relatives,  wlio  held  liig-Ji  oftice  under  govern- 
.  nient,  and  a  very  rich  father,  who  allowed  him  a  hand- 
some sum  over  and  above  liis  pay,  yet,  from  Ids  sjx'nd- 
thrift  conduct,  he  was  almost  always  without  cash  in 
his  pocket  or  at  his  command,  liis  position  as  an  oilicer 
in  the  British  army  gave  iiim  at  once  character  and  in- 
lluence  in  the  connnunity,  and  with  any  of  the  trades- 
people wherever  the  rei^iment  might  be  stationed  ;  but 
tlieir  conlidence  was  pretty  sure  to  be  abused  by  his 
reckless  purcliases,  and  then  in  liis  equal  recklessness 
in  fulfilling  liis  promises  to  pny — and  very  many  were 
his  victims.  In  this  way,  poor  but  honest  liard-working 
mechanics,  it  might  be  with  small  capital  but  large 
families,  were  often  irretrievably  involved.  lie  would 
purchase  a  valuable  carriage  or  a  set  of  harness,  which 
he  would  use  for  a  short  time,  and  then,  when  deterio- 
:  rated  perliaps  more  than  half  their  value,  for  some 
i  frivolous  pretext  he  would  return  tlieni  to  the  maker 
''  without  a^iy  recompense  ;  so  derelict  was  lie  to  all  moral 
|)nnciple.  His  haughty  and  imperious  manners  to  those 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  plainly  told  how  deeply 
J  he  was  impressed  with  the  consciousness  of  his  owmi 
■  greatness,  and  that  the  whole  world  was  bound  to  ren- 
der him  the  most  abject  obedience  ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  he  was  a  complete  sycophant  to  his  superiors, 
"With  a  frame  tall  and  full,  he  was  a  fine  commanding  per- 
son ;  and  his  face  was  handsome,  of  which  it  might  be 
seen  he  was  not  a  little  vain.  He  had  the  voice  of  a 
lion,  and  a  kind  of  dare-devil  spirit  to  correspond.  Woe 
he  to  the  poor  unhappy  being  who  came  within  the 
lash  of  his  ire  1 

Lieutenant  Darlington  was  one  of  the  youngest  mem- 


'^, 


20 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


IxTH  of  the  mcsH-rooni,  and  (jiiite  a  curiosity  in  Iii.s  way; 
of  rather  a  Kinall  fi<i;ure,  liis  nose  lar{j,('  and  Hharp- 
pointed,  face  thin  and  lun<^',  without  a  single  p^ood  fea- 
ture in  his  count(T»ance.  His  liead  was  far  too  hirg-e,  in 
{)roportion  to  tlie  size  of  his  hody,  and  placiul  upon  a 
{)air  of  slioulders  wiiose  outlines  j)resent('(l  no  very  stron- 
claims  to  beauty.  Ilis  arms  were  too  lonjj^,  and  danf;'liii^  : 
at  the  ends  of  these  were  a  pair  of  clumsy  iiauds,  awk- 
ward in  the  extreme,  and  jerking-  in  all  their  motions. 
His  legs,  what  there  was  of  them,  were  too  close  at  the 
knees  and  far  too  wide  apart  at  the  feet,  to  be  any  thiii^ 
like  graceful  in  their  movements  ;  while  the  toes  wen; 
outward  bound.  He  would  have  been  a  very  useful 
companion  in  the  fields  at  early  morning,  when  the  dew- 
was  lieav}''  on  the  grass,  for  the  great  breadtii  that 
would  be  swei)t  over  by  his  wide-set  feet  would  clear 
the  grass  of  the  dew,  so  that  one  might  follow  him  in 
the  sam(!  path  with  comparatively  dry  boots.  He  was 
most  fastidious  as  to  the  placing  and  a{)pearance  of  his 
liunvsj  red  hair,  and  the  cut  of  his  scarcidy  perceptii)It 
whiskers.  His  boots  always  of  the  most  jet-black  })iil- 
ish  ;  his  clothes  of  the  latest  cut  and  of  the  extremost 
fashion  ;  his  French  hat  placed  in  the  most  jaunty  wuv 
upon  his  head  ;  furnished  with  gold-headed  cane,  and 
eye-glass  stuck  fast  over  one  of  his  little  twinking  gray 
eyes,  and  held  there  by  the  contraction  of  the  upper  and 
lower  muscles  of  the  face  ;— thus  fully  decked  and 
trinmied,  he  issued  forth  as  though  he  liad  just  stepped 
out  of  a  bandbox.  Redolent  with  choice  odors,  he  was 
like  Milton's  angel,  who  shook  his  plumes  and  filled  the 
circuit  wide  with  rich  perfume.  It  was  clear  to  I  lie 
dullest  perception  that  he  considered  himself  a  perfect 


A  lady- 
hill. di 
'I  s<dr  a 
I  the  w 
males 
;  tilt'    e 

I  bonne 

:*    Wi)Ul< 

i  an  <ti 

'  that. 

^  faults 

\      Th( 

rerl 


ov 


(: 


i  the  ni 
I  and  tl 
I  hare  I 
,    ever, 

This 
^    Jumefc 
^   cated 
\   have  1 
'},    questi 

He  w 
.'    poor 

very  i 
•'  ofEni 
I  Thi 
;     smart 

made 
i    therei 

of  the 

hira  ii 


III 


■^'^ 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


31 


his  wnv : 

11(1   Kliiir))- 

g"o()(l  fca- 

d  upon  a 
'ly  !s troll, - 

liUlpI'lillo   ; 

lids,  iiwk- 
inutioiis. 
)S0  at  the 
any  tiling' 
toes  were 
ry   us(;riil 
1  tlie  clew 
ultli    tli;it 
iild   clear 
vv  him  ill 
Ho  was 
ice  of  his 
rceptil'lc 
lack  poj- 
xtreniest 
nty  WHY 


une,  and 


iig  gray 
)per  and 
ced  and 
stepped 
ho  was 
lied   tlio 

'    to     tilt,' 

perfect 


ladv-killer,  and  siip}>osed  liiniself  to  he  the  observed  of 
■  nil  observers.     Indeecl  so  he  was,  and  he  comported  him- 
si'lf  accordingly.     And  it  was  (piiti'  amusing  to  observe 
llir  way  in  which  Ik,'  would  wink   and   smirk   at   the  fe- 
males as  ho  passed  then!  in  the  stnM't,  the  boldness  and 
;  the  ertVoiitery  with   which   lie  would    peer  under  their 
Ixnmets,  and  the  ])ert  yet  unmeaning  remarks  that  he 
would  pass  upon  them   to  his  coinj)anion.     But  he  was 
an  officer  in  the  service  of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  and 
that,  like  charity,  was  suiiicient  to  cover  a  multitude  of 
5  faults  and  failings. 

m      There  was  one   person  whom  we  would  not  wish  to 
I  overlook,  or  have  it  supposed  that  we  slighted  him  in 
^  the  most  distant  way,  as,  by  the  position  he  occupied 
\  and  the  sacnMl  charac^ter  of  his  office,  ho  certainly  should 
hare  been  the  first  noticed   in  our  sketches  ;  but,  how- 
ever, bettor  late  than  never. 

This  gentleman  was  no  less  a  person  than  the  Rev. 
James  Wilson,  M,  A.,  chaplain  of  the  regiment.  Edu- 
cated at  the  celebrated  University  of  Oxford,  it  might 
have  been  said,  so  far  as  literary  attainments  wore  in 
question,  that  he  did  very  high  honor  to  his  Alma  Mater. 
lie  was  a  son  of  a  pcjor,  or,  rather,  a  comparatively 
poor  man,  who  hold  the  office  of  uiider-stoward  to  a 
very  wealthy  nobleman  in  one  of  the  niidland  counties 
of  England. 

This  son  of  the  nobleman's  steward  had  been  a  very 
smart  and  intelligent  boy  in  the  village  school,  and  had 
made  such  progress  in  all  tTio  departments  of  learning 
therein  taught,  that  he  had  attracted  the  special  notice 
of  the  village  clergyman,  who  was  over  ready  to  assist 
him  in  his  higher  studios,  and  so  prepare  him  for  col- 


22 


TIIK     BLACK     PHAP^TOM;    OK, 


lego,  if  tliiit  couKl  by  any  possibility  be  br(»ii<;-lit  about  ; 
whicJi,  by  liis  IVioiidly  interest  and  inlinoncc  with  tin 
said  nobhiinan,  in  wliose  service  y(mn<;"  Wilson's  tatlit  r 
then  was,  was  happily  accomplished  ;  I'or  it  so  happened 
that  fliis  nobleman  had  a  younjj^er  son  who  was  on  tlw 
eve  of  ^oin;^  to  Oxford   to  complete  his  education,  and 

the  noble   Lord   H concUuled  that  he  would  be  at 

the  ex|)enKe  of  young  Wilson's  education  on  the  very 
easy  condition  tiiat  he  would  be  a  kind  of  waiting-man 
on  this  scion  of  nobility  during  his  stay  at  this  cele- 
brated seat  of  learning.  Thus  the  whole  thing  was  soon 
arranged,  so  far  as  young  Wilson  was  concerned  ;  for 
when  a  young  man  of  a  lively  imagination  and  an  ar- 
dent tem[)erament  is  thirsting  after  knowledge,  every 
avenue  that  may  open  up  to  his  laudable  ambitfon  will 
be  considered  by  him  as  something  like  a  god-send. 
The  preliminaries — so  far  as  the  understanding  of  the 
conditions,  and  tlie  necessary  preparations  and  outfit  for 
the  life-journey  of  these  young  a.spirants  after  fame  and 
honors — were  soon  completed,  and  the  happy  pair  com- 
fortably domiciled  in  the  ancient  and  grim  city  ./f  silk 
gowns  and  tassel  led  square  caps. 

At  the  same  time,  it  is  most  true  that  these  young  men 
were  not  fairly  mated  as  to  their  dispositions  and  gen- 
eral tastes,  and  the  means  at  their  disposal  for  gratify- 
ing their  inclinations  ;  but  this  inequality  might,  per- 
haps, prove  to  be  no  great  detriment  to  young  Wii&on'y 
advancement  in  learning.  Suflice  it  to  say,  that  the  im- 
periousness  of  the  one  was  very  prudently  and  com- 
mendably  submitted  to  by  the  other  ;  for  the  very  good 
reason,  that,  to  have  been  in  the  least  degree  refractory, 
might  have  proved  the  literary  death  of  the   one  who 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


23 


4'lit  ab(»ul  ; 
('  wilh  the 
dii'h  latlici 
)  liJippcncii 
■us  on  tlic 
'iition,  and 
)ul(l   be  at 

tlio   very 
liting-niiiii 

tin's  cc'lc- 
'  was  S(j()ii 
rncd  ;  for 
iiid  an  ar- 
l^c,  every 
>itit)n  will 
god-send, 
ig  oi'  the 

outfit  for 
fame  and 

•air  coni- 
•y  >vf  silk 

nng  men 
iiid  gen- 
;"ratify- 
i'lit,  per- 
VVii&on's 
'  the  im- 
id  cuni- 
ry  good 
ractory, 
>iie  who 


vvonid  most  keenly  liave  felt  the  stroke  that  ent  uiX  lur- 
t'vcr  his  brightest  hopiis.      His  mental  and  moral  tuition 
;  and    restraint    had,   doubtless,   a    lifelong    inlhu-ncc    on 
J'vonjiir    Wilson's    mind,    as    it  so   far    removed    all    the 
I  rouglier  asperities  of  his  nature,  and  smoothed  down  tluj 
"2  iiicqiKilities  of  his   naturally  ardent  temperament,  that 
he  ever  after  continued  one  of  the  most  docih;  of  men. 
■  Hnt,  as  a  first-class  education  is  not  considered  complete 
without  two  years'  travel   on  the  continent  of  Europe?, 
at  the  close  of  his  studies  at  college,  this  joung  noble- 
man commenced  his  journeyings,  and  chose  his  fellow- 
student  as  his  CO    panion.     Here  again   young  Wilson 
-\  considered  himself  favored  by  fortune  in  being  selected 
as  the  travelling   companion  of   his  college   associate. 
At  the  termination  of  their  travels,  it  was  the  pur|)OS(>  of 

Lord  II to  place  his  son  as  an  (jfficer  in  the  British 

army,  and  it  so  happened  that  the  regiment  selected  for 
that  purpose  was  the  one  now  before  us.  In  his  inti"o- 
(Inctit)n  to  the  regiment,  this  son  of  noble  parentage  was 
receivaid  an<l  treated  with  great  and  marked  respect, 
and  high  deference,  befitting  his  powerful  connections, 
was  paid  to  him  ;  yet  he  felt  isolated  and  alone,  all  the 
ofticers  being  utter  strangers  to  him.  He,  perhaps  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life,  inwardly  experienced  the  want 
of  a  familiar  face,  and  a  longing  for  an  associate-,  even 
should  his  position  be  somewhat  lower  than  that  held  by 
himself  Who  should  be  so  naturally  suggested  to  his 
mind  as  the  young  literary  companion  of  his  college 
life  and  travels?  Though  not  his  equal  in  position  as 
l<»  birth  or  wealth,  he  might  be  raised  to  respectability 
by  the  influence  of  his  father,  by  becoming  the  chaplain 
of  the  regiment  to  which  he  belonged  ;  and  thus  tlic 


^  r 


24 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


It 


sacred  ofiice  would  at  once  g'ivc  him  soiuotliing'  like 
e(iuality,  thai  woidd  be  tacitly  acknowledg-ed  on  all 
liauds.  The  young-  officer,  turning  this  subject  over  in 
his  mind,  was  not  long"  in  acting  on  the  suggestion  ; 
and  the  first  expression  t)l'  his  wish  to  his  noble  and 
indulgent  parent,  was  promptly  responded  to  by  him, 
and  joyfully  acceded  to  by  this  sprig  of  divinity. 

The  reader  may  b}'  this  time  be  supposed  to  be  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  the  antecedents  of  the  Rev. 
Jame:j  Wilson,  M.  A.,  chaplain  of  the  regiment,  who  was 
consequently  an  acknowledged  member,  ex  ojficio,  of  the 
regimental  mess-room.  He  had  been  very  remarkable, 
from  his  early  youth,  for  his  staid  and  demure  deport- 
ment ;  but,  since  the  sacred  character  of  clergyman  had 
been  added  to  that  of  student,  it  had  seemed  to  add  a 
proportionate  degree  of  stiff,  consequential  dignity  to 
his  general  bearing.  His  words  were  few,  cold,  and 
formal  ;  his  dress  was  "without  a  wrinkle,  and  (dose- 
fitting  ;  his  coat  had  the  military-clerical  cut,  and  was 
buttoned  close  up  to  the  chin;  and,  with  his  stiff-starcluMl 
white  cravat,  it  appeared  as  though  he  had  completely 
lost  the  use  of  that  beautiful  appendage  of  nature  in  his 
neck,  the  universal  joint,  for  if  any  object  presented  it- 
self to  him,  either  on  the  right  hand  or  the  left,  the  head 
could  not  by  any  possibility  make  an  independent  move- 
ment— the  whole  frame  had  to  go  simultaneously  with 
it.  It  could  not  but  appear  to  the  close  observer  that 
there  had  been  one  grand  radical  defect  in  his  educa- 
tion— his  head  had  been  cultivated  at  the;  expense  of 
ins  heart  ;  in  fact,  he  seemed  to  have  no  heart,  no  affec- 
tion, no  sympathy,  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  sacreil 
office  which  he  had  assumed  was  continually  making 


ing 


woman's  endurance. 


25 


ling-  like 
(1  on  all 
t  over  in 
•g-cjstion  ; 
oblc  and 
by  him, 

r 
t  • 

be  sufB- 
tlie    Rev. 
who  was 
io,  of  the 
iarkal)h', 
3  deport- 
nian  had 
U)  add  a 
ig'nity  to 
old,   and 
id  elose- 
uid  was 
starched 
inpletely 
re  in  his 
nled  it- 
he  head 
jt  move- 
sly  with 
*^er  that 
8  educa- 
)ense  of 
o  affec- 
sacreii 
making- 


demands  on  his  lieart  for  sympathy  and  commiseration. 
But  the  wounded,  the  diseased,  the  sick,  tlie  <lyin<;-, 
were  all  treated  in  a  cold  official  manner  ;  and  in  his 
pastoral  visits  to  such,  having  read  his  prayers  accord- 
ing" to  the  prescribed  ritual,  he  would  feel  a  self-satis- 
faction, and  depart,  persuaded  that  lie  had  fully  done 
his  duty.  He  appeared  to  be  totally  unaware  that  his 
patients  had  understanding,  that  they  had  feeling, 
or  tiiat  they  had  any  thing  like  a  conscience,  let  alone 
an  awakened  conscience  ;  for  these  things  were  far  be- 
yoiid  his  depth,  beyond  his  reach.  And  then  the 
training  that  he  had  nnd(>rgone,  undcM'  the  imperious 
sway  of  the  young  nobleman,  at  college,  when  and 
where  it  was  considered  more  than  his  soul  was  worth 
to  reprove  any  thing  like  sin  in  his  case  I  We  may 
just  mention  one  circumstance,  that  proved  to  be  the 
turning  point,  and  controlled  him  in  all  their  after  actions 
in  their  intercourse  of  college  life.  It  occurred  at  the 
commencement  of  their  residence  there.  There  had  been 
something  connected  with  the  conduct  of  the  young 
lord  that  called  forth  the  sharp  reprehension  of  Wilson  ; 
when  this  scion  of  noble  birth  assumed  a  very  grave 
and  dignified  air,  approached  him,  and  said,  in  a  sub- 
dued tone  of  voice,  and  with  slow  and  measured  terms, 
something  like  the  following  : 

"  Now,  my  sweet  and  lovely  boy,  and  my  very  ami- 
able monitor,  let  us  understand  each  other,  and  !)(.'  sure 
that  there  is  no  mistake  on  your  part ;"  and  looking 
very  earnestly  at  him,  as  though  the  more  completely  to 
rivet  his  attention,  he  added,  "Do  you  take  in  my  mean- 
ing, my  boy  ?" 

Young  Wilson,  who  stood  before  him,  quite  thunder- 


26 


THE     BLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


.struck  at  his  attitude  and  manner,  and  the  tone  of  voice 
in  whicli  this  was  uttered,  seemed  to  assent  by  a  gentle 
inclination  of  the  head. 

"  Well,  good,  so  far,"  said  his  lordship.  "  Then  it  is 
properly  understood  that  this  is  the  last  time  you  will 
attempt  to  lecture  me  on  my  conduct  while  we  are  to- 
gether in  this  college;  and,"  he  concluded,  "let  it  be 
further  understood  that,  should  you  possibly  so  far  for- 
get yourself  as  to  oifend  again  in  this  particular,  then 
and  there  I  will  give  you  such  an  infernal  thrashing  as 
your  loving  and  affectionate  father  never  gave  his  dar- 
ling son." 

After  this  these  two  h()p(3ful  young  gentlemen  parted  ; 
the  one  chuckling  over  the  victory  he  was  certain  he 
had  gained,  and  the  other  in  utter  consternation.  Wil- 
son submitted  without  question,  and  the  lesson  he  had 
received  completely  cowed  his  spirit  for  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  Subsequently,  when  thrown  into  the  midst 
of  a  number  of  fiery  spirits  similar  to  the  one  which  had 
gained  such  a  mastery  over  him,  he  appeared  to  lose 
what  little  of  personal  and  independent  identity  re- 
mained, lie  was  reduced  to  the  character  of  a  mere 
machine.  His  duties  were  all  routine — the  same  dull 
round  each  week,  the  year  through.  Whether  lie  read 
his  one  sermon  per  week,  accompanied  by  the  beautiful 
church  ritual,  which  he  was  sure  to  spoil  by  the  "  mouth- 
ing" manner  of  his  reading,  or  the  occasional  perform- 
ance of  the  funeral  service  over  a  deceased  member  of 
\\n)  regiment,  the  whole  was  done  with  the  most  aston- 
ishing listlessness,  and  delivered  in  a  drawling,  monot- 
onous tone  of  voice.  He  was  a  man  of  no  moral  weight 
whatever  in  the  regiment.     If  he  ever  had  the  least  idea 


woman's  endurance. 


27 


midst 
ch  had 
to  lose 
ty  re- 
niere 
le  dull 
e  read 
autiful 
iioutli- 
rform- 
ber  of 
astoii- 
loiiot- 
'oi<^lit 
idea 


of  reproving  sin  in  any  of  the  officers  of  the  mess-room, 
one  glance  of  his  patron  was  always  sure  to  seal  his 
lips,  and  was  sufficient  to  cause  his  tongue  to  cleave  to 
the  roof  of  his  mouth.  But  we  must  say  that  he  always 
Kubmitted  with  the  best  possible  grace,  and  even  an  ap- 
})roving  smile  was  never  reluctantly  given  when  he 
thought  that  it  was  required  of  him  to  sanction  any 
of  the  coarse  jests  of  the  mess-room.  Thus  he  led  a 
kind  of  smooth  and  quiet  life,  as  he  had  no  very  stern 
or  strict  moral  principles  to  disturb  the  equanimity  of 
his  mind.  But  when,  by  any  chance,  a  person  gave 
expression,  in  the  most  distant  way,  to  any  remark  that 
was  likely  to  lower  the  character  of  the  Church,  his  mind 
would  at  once  take  the  alarm.  Under  such  circum- 
stances his  blind  zeal  knew  no  bounds  ;  his  language 
would  be  strong,  pointed,  and  virulent.  On  such  occa- 
sions his  disposition  would  display  unmitigated  rancor, 
as  though  he  had  been  nursed  on  double-distilled  acetic 
acid,  and  his  features  became  wrinkled  and  puckered  up 
into  such  sharp  points  and  acute  angles  as  to  induce 
the  impression  on  the  beholder  that  thoy  would  be  ad- 
mirably adapted  for  a  nutmeg-grater  ;  while  the  thcmght 
would  inevitably  suggest  itself.  Can  it  be  possible  that 
tliis  man  is  a  true  follower  of  the  meek  and  gentle 
Saviour,  and  a  teacher  of  that  gospel  whose  very  essence 
is  love  ?  As  a  general  thing,  he  was  one  of  those  soft, 
unmeaning  characters  who  find  especial  favor  with  a 
certain  class  of  antiquated  maiden  ladies  ;  and  in  their 
company  he  spent  most  of  his  time. 

At  the  place  we  commenced  our  sketches,  and  onward, 
thus  far,  we  have  taken  a  kind  of  general  glance  at  the 
members  of  the  regimental  mess-room.     And  perhaps 


i 


!l 


28 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM;    OR, 


th()  rcadei'  may  liavc  surmised  our  opinion  oi'  thoir 
morals  to  be  not  of  the  most  favorable  cast.  But  we  do 
not  wish  for  a  moment  to  be  charged  with  being"  indis- 
criminating,  )r  haishly  censorious.  Tiiere  may,  in  the 
judgment  of  many,  be  offered  a  very  strong  plea  in  pal- 
liation of  their  manners.  We  have  already  stated  that 
they  had  been  raised  under  the  strong  and  controlling 
influences  of  high  family  associations — of  political,  reli- 
gious, and  social  ties  carried  down  from  generation  to 
generation  ;  while  the  time  of  which  we  are  now 
writing  may  perhaps  be  justly  considered  as  one  of  the 
most  corrupt  periods  of  English  history.  The  king 
fickle-minded  and  imbecile,  the  queen  shrewd,  designing, 
and  intriguing — for  all  that  may  be  truly  said  of  old 
Queen  Charlotte — the  sons  of  this  royal  pair,  with  only 
(me  exception,  quite  naturally  stood  in  the  very  front 
rank  of  moral  depravity  ;  and  the  influence  of  their  ex- 
ample on  the  morals  of  the  nation  was  far  more  disas- 
trous than  that  of  the  corrupt  court  of  King  Charles. 

Thus,  the  youth  of  the  land,  being  surrounded,  and  as 
it  were  tied  down  by  the  chains  of  a  strongly  controlling 
evil  example,  riveted  fast  by  their  own  impulsive  nature, 
seemed  to  be  almost  beyond  the  reach  of  a  reclaiming 
religious  influence.  But  notwithstanding  all  this,  they 
were,  almost  to  a  man,  stanch  advocates  of,  and  stern 
sticklers  for  the  Prayer-book  and  the  national  Church. 
But,  instead  of  this  proving  any  restraint  to  their 
actions,  it  appeared  to  steel  their  hearts  against  simple 
gospel  truth  ;  to  build  them  up  in  their  self-righteous- 
ness ;  and  to  close  their  minds  to  the  approach  of  aught 
of  an  evangelical  tendency.  All  their  vices  were  of  a 
fashionable  grade,  and,  according  to  their  own   code, 


nie 

lie 

for 

tlia 

Imv 

as 

tiin 

ous 


8'* 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


29 


ature, 
iniiiig 


[lught 

oi'  ti 

code, 


liicflilv  meritorious.  Tiioy  would  claim  it  as  a  kind  of 
merit,  to  be  able  to  drink  tlic  greatest  number  of  bot- 
tles of  wine,  Tlieir  amours  were  an  especial  theme 
lor  tlieir  boasting'  ;  and  every  additional  female  heart 
that  any  one  of  them  might  have  been  the  means  of 
breaking,  was  as  much  a  cause  for  their  self-gratulation 
as  would  be  to  the  callous-hearted  Indian  a  fresh  vic- 
tim that  might  yield  another  scalp  to  his  already  numer- 
ous trophies. 

If  thus  much  might  be  said  of  the  officers  of  the  regi- 
ment, much  more,  and  perhaps  of  even  a  more  degrading 
character,  may  be  said  of  the  eight  or  nine  hundred  jni- 
vate  men  of  the  regiment.  This  being  the  case,  it  may 
be  truly  said,  as  a  general  thing,  that  the  quartering  of 
a  regiment  in  any  neighborhood  is  fraught  with  mischief, 
and  might  prove  one  of  the  most  disastrous  curses  that 
could  possibly  be  inflicted  upon  it.  Lewd  women  and 
debauchery  of  every  kind  follow  in  its  trail,  the  direful 
influence  of  which,  on  the  young  and  middle-aged  of  tiie 
locality,  it  is  not  possible  to  measure.  Happy,  thrice 
happy  that  time,  when  nations  shall  learn  war  no  more, 
and  when  regiments  will  be  unnecessary  for  security 
against  an  external  foe,  or  for  the  assurance  of  internal 
peace  and  prosperity  ! 

Now  let  us  enter  the  regimental  mess-room,  and  take 
our  seat,  so  as  to  be  silent  but  close  observers  of  all 
tliat  may  be  said  or  done.  We  shall  soon  perceive  that 
we  are  in  the  company  of  highly-educated  and  polished 
gentlemen,  by  the  free  interchange  of  lofty  thought  and 
classic  sentiment,  and  that  careless  abandon  that  cannot 
by  any  possibility  be  assumed  by  the  uninitiated  or  un- 
lettered.     Their  correct  quotations  from   ancient  and 

3* 


tl 


30 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


ni(j(lcrn  aiitliors 


lii 


questions  of  logic  ; 


tlicir  familiar  discussions  of  abstruse 
their  extensive  reference  to  incidentK 
of  history,  and  the  copious  tiow  from  their  lips  of  fine 
thoug'ht  selected  from  the  best  popular  authors  of  the 
day  ;  the  keen  wit  that  is,  at  will,  thrown  sparkling  in 
every  direction  and  in  the  richest  profusion,  that  gives 
the  impression  that  the  source  whence  it  springs  is 
actually  exhaustless  ;  the  biting,  stinging,  and  barbed 
repartee,  that  is  hurled  back  as  with  a  giant's  hand  ; 
and  yet  all  this  with  a  boisterous  merriment  and  an 
exuberance  of  good  feeling,  that  plainly  tells  that  the 
fire  of  high  intellect  has  the  power  to  light  up,  and  to 
warm,  but  not  the  capability  to  burn.  In  fact,  it  seems 
the  very  arena  of  fun  without  frivolity  ;  of  frolic  with- 
out aimless  childishness.  And  this  continues  with  a 
high,  geutlemaidy,  dignified  bearing,  until  the  deep  po- 
tations from  the  bottle  circulate  far  too  long,  and  are 
partaken  of  too  freely.  For  then  a  wild  and  bewildered 
rant  spoils  the  whole  scene  :  the  polished  gentleman 
merges  into  the  drivelling  and  jabbering  maniac,  and  the 
ripe  scholar  is  lost  in  the  untutored  boor  ;  and  at 
length  the  whole  company  "  issue  forth  as  sons  of 
Belial,  fraught  with  insolence  and  wine." 


lill.llll! 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


31 


abstruse 
incidents 
8  of  fine 
•s  of  tlx; 
rklinjj:  in 
at  gives 
ii'in<xs  is 
[  barbed 
's  hand  ; 
and  an 
that  the 
),  and  to 
it  seems 
lie  with- 
;  with  a 
deep  po- 
and  ar(» 
tvildered 
tieman 
and  the 
and  at 
sons    of 


CHAPTER  III. 

We  would  now  request  tho  reader  to  accompany  us 
to  where  we  shall  witness  a  scene  of  quite  a  dillerent 
and  opposite  character  to  the  one  described  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter. 

It  is  the  Sabbath  morning.  Entering  the  gate  of  tlie 
barrack-yard,  opposite  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  inclining 
to  the  left,  we  proceed  in  a  diagonal  course  across  the 
yard  to  the  angle  in  that  direction.  Entering  the  door- 
way, we  ascend  the  flight  of  steps,  at  the  top  of  which 
we  find  a  door  right  opposite.  On  entering  tiiis  room, 
we  sec  a  kind  of  rough  desk,  made  of  unpainted  boards, 
on  which  lay  a  Bible  and  hymn-book.  The  entire  re- 
maining space  of  this  room  is  occupied  bj'  a  number  of 
benches  or  seals,  corresponding  with  the  desk  ;  the 
whole  thing  appearing  as  though  it  had  been  fitted  up 
in  a  temporary  way  to  acconnnodate  quite  a  number  of 
people.  At  a  little  after  10  o'clock,  on  looking  through 
the  room- window,  we  shall  see  the  whole  of  the  regi- 
ment, officers  and  men,  mustering  in  the  barrack-yard 
in  response  to  the  call  of  the  drum.  The  men  are  with- 
out muskets,  and  only  with  their  side-arms  :  they  are 
neat,  clean,  and  prim.  After  going  through  all  the 
necessary  preliminaries,  they  are  marched  out  of  the 
yard,  led  by  the  regimental  band.  They  are  going  to 
the  English  Church  in  N6tre-Dame  street,  to  listen  to  a 


82 


THE    J3LACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


Burmoii  delivorud  by  the  t'loqueiit  He  v.  Jaines  Wilson, 
M.  A.,  cluipliiin  of  tlie  rcgiiiieiit. 

But  after  the  call  of  the  roll,  and  before  the  departure 
of  the  regiment  to  the  English  ehureli,  \vc  see  quite  a 
number  of  men  step  out  of  the  ranks — full  liberty  of 
conscience  being  allowed  every  man  to  worship  God 
according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  judgment.  A  num- 
ber of  these  men  make  their  way  to  the  room  already 
described.  They  come  in  with  a  serious,  thoughtful 
countenance,  and  with  a  marked,  steady  deportment. 
With  becoming  reverence  they  bow  the  knee,  and,  with 
covered  face,  appear  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  the  mo- 
ment with  devotional  fervor.  And  not  only  were  there 
the  men  who  left  the  ranks,  but  there  came  in  quite  a 
large  number  of  women,  so  that  the  room  was  well  filled. 
And  among  the  rest,  came  Captain  Walters  and  Mrs. 
Walters,  who,  without  the  least  appearance  of  assump- 
tion on  account  of  their  rank,  took  their  seats  the  same 
as  the  rest. 

The  company  Mrere  not  kept  long  waiting  before  a 
sergeant  of  the  regiment  made  his  appearance.  He 
walked  up  with  measured  step  and  stately  deportment 
to  the  desk,  and  after  a  few  moments  spent  in  silent 
comnmning  with,  and  commending  himself  and  his  work 
to  God,  in  a  pleasing,  mellow,  full,  though  subdued  tone 
of  voice,  gave  out  one  of  Charles  Wesley's  beautiful  and 
spirit-stirring  hymns.  Then,  in  a  vocal  response  led 
by  the  remarkably  fine  and  cultivated  voices  of  Captain 
and  Mrs.  Walters,  the  whole  audience  joined  with  a 
hearty  good-will, — so  that,  what  with  the  sentiment  of  the 
hymn,  the  soul-stirring  tune,  and  the  spirit  in  which  it 
was  sung,  the  whole  in  strict  harmony  with  the  highest 


""  the 
praj 

I""  1 

:|'  wasi 

worj 
to  ij 
heal 
ash  a 


mg 


are 


woman's  endurance. 


88 


tore  a 
He 
tment 
silent 
wurk 
tone 
1  and 
e  led 
iptaiu 
ith  a 
)f  the 
ich  it 
:lieat 


and  purest  devotion,  it  seemed  to  vie  witii  the  choir  before 
the  throne.  This  was  followed  by  an  extemporaneous 
prayer,  of  deep,  powerful,  searching  confession,  suppli- 
cation, praise,  and  adoration  ;  after  which  another  hymn 
was  sung',  and  then  the  text  was  enunciated. 

Sergeant  Johnson  was  evidently  a  man  mighty  in 
word  ;  and  the  very  intimate  acquaintance  he  appeared 
to  have  with  the  scriptures  of  truth,  exhibited  to  his 
hearers  that  he  was  a  workman  who  needed  not  to  be 
asliamed, — rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth,  and  afl\)rd- 
ing  to  each  a  portion  of  meat  in  due  season.  At  the 
conclusion  of  these  services,  Mr.  Johnson  announced 
that  brother  Captain  Walters  would  address  them  on 
the  following  Sabbath  morning. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that,  at  the  time  of  which  we 
are  now  writing,  which  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  '83  of  the  last  century,  there  were  but  very  few 
people  who  spoke  the  English  language   in   Montreal 
except  those  belonging,  to  the  British  army,  and  iu  the 
government  oflSces  ;    and  scarcely   an   individual  who 
made  a  public  profession  of  attachment  to  the  cause  of 
God — that  is,  who  enjoyed  personal  religion.     Conse- 
quently,   there    was    no    regular   and    stated    evangel- 
ical ministry,  in  accordance  with  the  revival  movements 
that  were   witnessed  in  England.      So  that  it  may  be 
supposed  that  the  few  persons  who  had  attended  the 
heart-searching  ministry  of  Whitfield  and  the  Wesleys, 
in  England,  would  feel  the  want  of  social,  spiritual  inter- 
course, when  they  were  in  a  foreign  land.     And  such 
Montreal  must  have  been  considered  at  that  early  date : 
although  it  was   then,  and  indeed  had  been  for  some 
time,  under  the  British  rule,  its  people  were  foreign  in 


34 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


'li 


! 


their  habits,  their  feelings,  and  in  tlieir  most  clierishod 
opinions.  Tiiis  being*  tlie  case,  wliut  so  natural  as  that 
the  truly  enlightened  and  spiritually-minded  should  seek 
each  other  out,  and  so  make  arrangements  whereby  they 
might  be  mutually  ediiied,  and,  in  fact,  maintain  a  firm 
standing  in  their  Christian  character  and  experience  ? 

We  have  just  been  made  acquainted  with  the  manner 
and  spirit  in  which  this  association  was   formed    and 
their  meetings  carried  on  ;    and  it  must  have  been  per- 
ceived that   a  more  than  ordinary  degree  of  fraternal 
good-feeling  subsisted  among  them.     It  was  an  under- 
standing among   them,   that   while  they  were  in   their 
social  capacity  together,  as  worshippers  of  their  one 
God  and  common  Father,  all  distinctions  of  office  and 
rank  should  merge  in  that  of  brother  and  sister  in  the 
Lord.     Hence  it  was  usual,  in  their  social  gatherings,  to 
greet  each  other  as  Brother  Walters,  Brother  Johnson, 
Sistei;  Walters,  Sister  Johnson  ;   and  so  of  all  the  rest, 
to  the  lowest  brother  or  sister  who  was  an  acknowledged 
member  of  their  little  band.     And  every  fresh  or  new 
disciple  would  be  greeted  with  a  right  hearty  good-will, 
if  they  gave  clear  and  decided  evidence  of  their  Chris- 
tian sincerity.     But  when  once  outside  of  their  humble 
but  highly  cherished  and  consecrated  spot,  where,  they 
held  sweet  counsel,  it  was  properly  understood  that  all 
the  general  routine   of  regimental   salutes   should  be 
scrupulously  observed. 

But  then  it  must  not  be  thought  that  Captain  Wal- 
ters, or  his  very  kind-hearted  lady,  assumed  any  thing 
like  a  cold,  still'  sanctimoniousness,  or  frigid  formality  ; 
no,  their  manners  and  address  were  free,  open,  easy 
and    aflable    to   all,  yet   tempered   by  a  dignified    de- 


nu'l 

vo\ 

ThJ 


woman's  endurance. 


35 


licrishod 
I  as  that 
iild  scfk 
L'by  tlioy 
ti  a  firm 
(311  ce  ? 

manner 
led  and 
uen  per- 
Vaternal 
1  under- 
in  their 
leir  one 
fice  and 
r  in  the 
•ings,  to 
ohnson, 
he  rest, 
fledged 
or  new 
jd-will, 

Chris- 
lumble 
e.  they 

lat  all 

lid   be 


Wal- 
thing 
ility  ; 

easy 
de- 


I 


1 


mcanor  which  won  tlie  praise  and  tli(!  blessing  of  the 
roiii^hest  and  the  most  rugged  warrior  in  the  ranks. 
There  was  not  a  female  connected  witii  th(5  regiment, 
whatever  might  be  her  need,  from  sickness  or  otherwise, 
but  was  sure  to  find  Mrs.  Walters  in  the  right  place  at 
the  right  time.  Her  purse,  lier  larder,  her  conserves  or 
preserves,  yielded  up  their  contributions  in  no  scanty 
measure  :  in  fact,  like  her  Divine  Master  whom  slie 
served,  she  went  about  doing  good. 

Mrs.  Walters  had  been  one  day  out  making  purchases 
at  one  of  the  drygoods  stores  in  St.  Paul  street,  for  the 
supply  of  clothing  that  was  needed  by  a  female,  wife  of 
one  of  the  men  in  the  regiment,  who  had  just  brought 
into  the  world  a  bouncing  boy.  As  she  was  walking 
along  the  street  at  a  rapid  pace,  with  the  bundle  of 
tlamiel  and  other  small  articles  under  her  arm — for  she 
was  not  ashamed  to  carry  a  bundle  along  the  street,  and 
especially  when  it  was  for  a  charitable  purpose — it  being 
just  when  the  dusk  of  evening  was  drawing  its  sable 
mantle  over  the  heavens,  she  was  accosted,  close  by  the 
corner  of  one  of  those  dark,  narrow  streets,  that  lead 
down  to  the  river  from  St.  Paul  street,  by  an  old  woman, 
who  was  closely  muflied  up  in  a  dark-colored  cloak,  and 
who  handed  her  a  small  package.  It  might  have  been 
seen  in  a  moment  that  a  more  than  ordinary  degree  of 
emotion  agitated  her  whole  frame  ;  and  on  receiving 
the  package  from  the  old  woman,  she  at  the  same  time 
made  a  most  desperate  effort  to  seize  the  hand  that 
gave  it  to  her.  But  just  at  that  instant,  a  roughly 
dressed  man  was  passing,  who,  trying  to  push  past  the 
^tvvo,  from  some  cause  fell  down,  and  in  his  fall  was 
nearly  the  cause  of  Mrs,  Walters  meeting  with  the  same 


36 


THE    BLAC^    phantom;    OR, 


misfortune.  The  man,  in  the  bewilderment  of  the  mo- 
ment, seemed  to  be  as  mucli  confuted  as  was  Mrs.  Wal- 
ters :  quickly  gatherin<^  himself  up,  he  looked  around, 
and  seeinf^  tlie  bundle  and  small  paekage  on  the  path- 
way, picked  them  up  and  clumsily  handing  them  to  her, 
said :  "  I'm  mighty  sorry,  ma'am,  but  hope  you  isn't  'urt ; 
may  be  them's  yours." 

She  appeared  not  at  all  to  notice  him  or  his  speech, 
though  holding  out  the  articles  in  his  hand  towards  her  ; 
but  soon  recovering  herself  a  little,  said  :  "  Oh,  did  you 
see  the  way  that  person  went?" 

He,  with  a  kind  of  vacant  look,  and  in  an  uncouth 
manner,  said  :  "  Oh,  you's  frightened,  ma'am  ;  maybe 
you'll  soon  cum  to  ;"  and  so  saying,  went  hastily  on  his 
way. 

With  agitated  manner  and  unsteady  step  Mrs.  Wal- 
ters went  her  way,  and  arrived  at  her  home  in  no  very 
calm  state  of  mind.  She  found  Captain  Walters  waiting 
for  her,  to  whom  she  related  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  case  just  as  they  occurred.  After  she  had  completed 
her  narration,  she  exclaimed — 

"  Oh,  my  dear  Robert,  what  can  all  this  mean  ?  This 
is  the  fourth  time  that  I  have  met  this  same  person  un- 
der similar  attendant  circumstances,  but  at  far  distant 
times  and  at  far  distant  places.  The  first  time  that  I 
saw  her  was  in  the  north  of  England,  when  about  to 
leave  school,  where  I  had  been  from  childhood — in  fact, 
from  a  time  earlier  than  my  recollection  extends.  The 
next  time,  as  you  may  recollect,  was  when  we  were  at  the 
watering-place  in  Leamington,  soon  after  our  marriage  ; 
and  the  third  time  was  just  after  the  death  of  our  two 
dear  children,  and  you  were  away  from  me  and  lay  sick 


an 
(h' 

(Ic 

an 
to 

IIIUI 

thif 


III.! 


WOMAN   S    ENDURANCE. 


37 


This 
;on  1111- 
[istaiit 
[that  I 
lout  to 
In  fact, 
The 
at  the 
f-iage  ; 
Ir  two 
sick 


(intl  wouiulcd  ainoiif^  ntranj^^crs  in  a  Htraiige  land.  My 
dear  Kobert,  tliere  has  always  appeared  to  me  to  be  a 
(ieej)  mystery  haiii^iMng"  over  my  birth,  my  parentage, 
and,  in  fact,  all  my  history,  that  I  have  in  vain  attempted 
to  unravel.  Oil,  my  dear,  what  shall  I  do  ?  This  is  too 
much  for  me — it  is  more  than  I  can  bear  !"  And  after 
this  a  violent  paroxysm  of  grief  shook  her  whole  frame. 

Tiiat  woman,  generally  so  calm,  so  self-possessed,  so 
resolute,  appeared  to  shake  and  quiver  like  a  leaf  in 
tlie  wind,  or  like  the  pliant  willow  bending  before  the 
passing  storm.  All  the  eflforts  of  her  husband  appeared 
to  be  lost  while  endeavoring  to  calm  down  her  agitated 
spirit,  and  the  wonted  80(>Lhing  influence  of  his  voice 
had  ceased  to  charm.  So  he  concluded  that  it  would  be 
tlie  best  to  allow  her  inward  sorrow  to  spend  its  own 
force,  and  which  was,  in  a  little  while,  greatly  relieved 
by  a  copious  flow  of  tears.  Then,  after  sitting  in  silence 
for  some  time,  he  gently  approached  her,  and,  drawing 
her  to  his  bosom,  softly  whispered  in  her  ear — 

"  My  own  Eliza,  your  husband  is  by  your  side  ;  is  not 
be  more  tlian  all  the  world  to  you  ?" 

These  expressions,  like  a  talisman,  touched  the  secret 
springs  of  her  woman's  heart,  and,  with  a  vehemence 
prompted  by  a  pure  and  ardent  affection,  she  threw  lier 
arms  around  his  neck,  and,  smiling  through  her  tears, 
said — 

"  My  dear  Robert,  am  not  I  a  foolish  being  ?  I  have 
been  prying  after  a  secret  that  might  perhaps  bring  sor- 
row instead  of  affording  joy,  while  I  have  been  lightly 
esteeming  those  richer  blessings  that  have  been  so  abun- 
dantly clustering  around  my  path  all  through  life,  and 
never  more  so  than  at  this  moment."     On  the  utterance 


"*'»,•.» 


38 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


of  wliicli,  with  a  fond  em])racc,  a  lovely  and  loving 
smile,  and  a  profusion  of  kisses,  she  seemed  to  be  her- 
self again. 

After  sitting  for  some  time  in  silence,  her  husband 
inquired — 

"  But,  my  own  Eliza,  what  about  the  small  package 
that  you  say  this  mysterious  being  handed  to  you  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  said  ;  "  the  thought  of  that  had  gone 
from  my  mind,"  and,  on  taking  the  package  from  her 
pocket,  she  exclaimed — "  See,  here  it  is." 

Captain  Walters  took  it  from  her,  and  began  to  open 
it ;  but  he  had  to  remove  wrapper  after  wrapper,  string 
after  string,  before  the  contents  were  disclosed.  At 
length  he  found  a  slip  of  paper  upon  which  was  written 
the  following  words,  in  a  remarkably  handsome  female 
hand  :  "  Jehovah  rcigneth  ;  let  the  earth  rejoice  !"  and, 
**  What  thou  knowest  not  how,  thou  shalt  know  here- 
after." After  unfolding  several  more  wrappers,  he  found 
a  nearly  new  Bank  of  England  note,  of  the  value  of  five 
hundred  pounds  sterling.  As  soon  as  Mrs.  Walters 
saw  the  writing  and  the  sterling  bank-note,  in  a  kind 
of  wild  frenzy  she  exclaimed — 

"  My  dear  Robert,  what  shall  I  do  ?  Tliey  are  the 
exact  resemblance  of  the  other  three.  My  dear  Robert, 
what  can  all  this  mean  ?" 

In  the  early  history  of  Montreal,  and  especially  of 
that  period  to  which  this  part  of  our  narrative  refers, 
the  inhabitants  were  few  in  number  ;  consequentl3''  very 
extensive  acconmiodations  were  not  required  for  the 
I)arties  who  then  came  to  town  to  supply  the  people  with 
farm  and  garden  produce.  It  was  not  required  then 
to  have  such  large  and  elegant  stone  edifices  as  the 


m 


ag<l 


lj: 


woman's  endurance. 


39 


[•e  the 
lobert, 

k  of 

[•efers, 
r  very 
|r  tlie 
with 
tlieii 
Is  the 


city  can  now  boast  of  as  tlieir  market-places.  It  may 
be  in  the  memoiy  of  many  now  living'  in  the  city  of  Mon- 
treal— not  to  mention  that  ubiquitous  personage,  tlie 
oldest  inhabitant — that  there  was  a  building-  of  not  very 
pretentious  appearance  standing  on  the  same,  or  nearly 
OL'  the  same  site  whereon  the  Montreal  custom-house 
now  stands.  It  was  the  old  market  :  though  it  had 
been  new  sometime,  it  must  have  been  a  long  while 
aero,  At  the  time  to  which  we  have  reference  it  was  in 
full  operation,  as  it  was  the  chief  if  not  the  only  place 
of  resort  for  the  town  and  country  people,  as  of  all  par- 
ties in  any  way  connected  with  the  garrison,  and  where 
all  the  delicacies  of  the  season  were  sure  to  be  found. 
But  it  is  not  the  old  market  with  which  we  have  now 
specially  to  do,  any  further  than  to  place  the  reader's  at- 
tention on  the  locality. 

It  may  be  remembered  that  there  was  a  row  of  old- 
fashioned,  dark-looking  houses,  built  in  the  old  French 
style,  standing  between  the  old  market-place  and  the 
river-front,  with  entrances  from  the  river-side  as  well 
as  from  the  market  side.  One  of  these  old  buildi'igs 
was  at  that  time  a  tavern. 

Into  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  centre  house  of  the  row 
already  alluded  to,  and  on  the  «ame  night  on  which  oc- 
curred the  encounter  of  Mrs.  Walters  with  the  person  in 
St  Paul  street,  there  has  just  entered  an  apparently 
old  woman,  muffled  up  in  a  large  dark  cloak,  but  alert 
in  her  movements  and  light  of  stop. 

On  taking  a  look  into  that  roon  ,  we  discover,  instead 
of  the  old  woman  just  observed  to  enter  it,  a  ladj  '  i  ^  le 
prime  of  life,  arrayed  in  the  richest  attire  and  in  tlie 
very  height  of  fashion  ;  and  what  appears  to  be  a  nlack 


n 


■3  4 


40 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


ll 


i'' 


u 


cloak,  is  lying  on  the  table.  Taking  hov  seat  in  the  large, 
old-fashioned  armchair,  she  anxiously  looks  towards  the 
door,  seemingly  expecting  some  one.  Soon  there  is  heard 
a  gentle  rap  at  the  door  :  the  lady  answered  the  call,  and 
requested  the  visitor  to  enter.  The  door  opened,  and 
a  man  made  his  appearance,  dressed  as  a  livery  servant, 
holding  over  his  left  arm  what  appeared  to  be  an  old, 
soiled,  and  ragged  coat,  and  a  pair  of  pantaloons  of  the 
same  character  ;  and  he  held  an  old  misshapen  hat  in 
his  right  hand.  On  his  entrance  into  the  room  he  stood 
at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  lady,  who  soon  opened 
the  conversation  by  saying — 

"  Well,  Thomas,  how  do  you  consider  the  thing  was 
carried  out  ?  I  hope  you  acted  all  through  according 
to  my  instructions." 

"  Yes,  my  lady,  in  every  particular,"  was  the  answer 
the  man  made. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  she  got  the  small  package  safe  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  in  the  hurry  and  confusion  of  the  moment  she 
let  the  package  fall  to  the  ground,  with  something  else 
that  she  had  in  her  hand,  a  small  bundle,  both  of  which 
I  picked  up  and  handed  to  her,  for  she  seemed  scarcely 
to  know  what  she  was  doing  ;  but  I  kept  my  eye  on 
the  package,  and  saw  her  put  it  in  her  pocket.  In  a 
rambling  way  she  asked  me  who  that  person  was,  and 
where  she  was  gone  ;  but  I  said  just  what  you  told  me 
to  say,  and  then  left  her.  That  is  all  that  I  know  or  saw 
of  her." 

"  Well  done,  Thomas  !"  said  the  lady.  "  That  was 
all  right.  I  must  give  you  a  little  praise  for  your 
adroitness.  I  suppose,  Thomas,"  said  the  lady,  "  that 
you  sometimes  consider  my  conduct  and  proceedings  a 


littll 

is  nj 

hav^ 

thin] 

peiH 

Pro^ 

far-ol 

I  by/ 

but  * 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


41 


was 

your 

I'  that 

ligs  a 


little  erratic,  governed  by  vag-ary  or  whim,  or  prompted 
by  wuriiuu's  waywardness,  and  for  wiiich  you  think  there 
is  neitiier  rhyme  nor  reason  ?" 

"  Well,  my  lady,"  said  ihe  man,  "  I  must  say  that  I 
have  often  thought  your  conduct  a  little  strange  in  some 
things  ;  but  knowing,  as  I  do,  your  shrewdness  and 
penetration,  and  your  firm  reliance  on  a  superintending 
Provid'Mice,  I  cannot  but  suppose  that  you  have  some 
far-off  object  in  view.  With  this  conviction  on  my  mind, 
I  liavo  no  wish  or  inclination  to  pr^  into  your  secrets, 
1  lit  to  ;.  sist  you  in  the  accomplishment  of  your  purpose, 
whatever  that  may  be  ;  and  I  am  pleased  to  find  that 
my  present  conduct  meets  with  your  approval." 

"  That  is  all  right,  Thomas,  and  this  is  as  I  have  al- 
ways found  you  ;  and  I  trust  that  my  past  injunctions 
will  at  all  times  be  strictly  observed  by  you — that  is, 
that  all  these  things  shall  be  kept  profoundly  secret 
between  us.  And  as  you  place  such  confidence  in  me 
and  my  judgment,  you  are  perfectly  right  in  saying  that 
I  have  a  firm  reliance  and  implicit  confidence  in  a  su- 
perintending Providence.  I  feel  something  like  the  an- 
cient Israel  o;'  God,  when  they  were  requested  to  stand 
still  that  the}  »rught  see  His  salvation,  and  anon  the 
enemies  of  Goo  .vnd  His  chosen  people  were  over- 
whelmed, while  they  themselves  were  placed  safe  be- 
yond the  reach  of  their  crafty  and  vengeful  foes.  It 
sometimes  takes  long,  as  men  call  long,  for  Jehovah  to 
work  out  his  purposes :  but  be  assured  that  He  sees  the 
end  from  i\"  beginning;  and  as  the  immutable  princi- 
pies  of  jr.s  «.^  and  truth  cannot  be  finally  subverted, 
the  wicked  b;n)l  eA?entually  be  taken  in  their  own  craft- 
iiieas.     The  wisdom,  the  love,   as   well  as  the  justice 

4* 


42 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM:     OR, 


1. 


of  God,  must  triumph,  and  all  men  shall  cither  adore 
Him  in  their  deliverance,  or  fall  beneath  the  crushiiiL; 
vengeance  of  His  judgments.  As  the  ancient  heathen 
said,  *  The  mills  of  the  gods  grind  slow,  but  they  grind 
exceedingly  small."' 


witli 
Wal 
well 
char 
tioi) 
it  wi 
I  of  al 
-   irnpui 
i  coiitii 
I  this  t 
I   the  p( 
I   [)artK 
Siif 

mo 

were 
pariuj 
clarec 
termi] 
Rritis 
indou] 
An 
the  ca 
who  1: 
tlie  ri 


'11 


woman's  endurance. 


43 


ler  adore 

crushing 

;  Ijeatlicii 

ley  grind 


CHAPTER    IV. 


In  order  that  the  reader  may  be  better  acquainted 
with  a  very  important  portion  of  the  life  of  Captain 
Walters,  and  also  that  of  his  very  estimable  wife,  as 
well  as  to  open  up  a  fair  view  of  very  peculiar  traits  of 
character  which  were  called  into  exercise  by  their  posi- 
tion and  the  circumstances  through  which  they  passed, 
it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  refer  back  for  a  period 
of  about  three  years,  as  they  cover  a  very  stirring  and 
important  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  North  American 
C(^ntinent.  It  is  not  our  intention  to  give  any  more  of 
this  than  is  essentially  necessary  to  the  development  of 
the  personal  history  and  moral  character  of  the  principal 
parties  in  our  narrative. 

Sulfice  it  to  say,  that,  at  the  latter  part  of  the  year 
nt9  and  the  beginning  of  the  year  1780,  all  parties 
were  busily  employed,  in  the  city  of  Montreal,  in  pre- 
paring for  a  grand  and  (as  some  of  the  leading  men  de- 
clared and  fully  intended  that  it  should  be)  a  final 
l(!rmination  of  the  "truggle  then  going  on  between 
British  rule,  on  the  one  side,  and  a  determined  and 
indomitable  spirit  of  freedom  on  the  other. 

An  imposing  force  was  collected,  luid  all  the  plans  of 
the  campaign  were  duly  considered  ;  for  the  wise  heads 
who  had  then  the  full  direction  of  affairs  concluded  that 
the  rebellion,  as   they  termed  it,  must  and  should  be 


1!!^ 


U 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


}il 


crushed.  On  the  completion  of  these  phms,  the  cohorts 
were  led  forth  in  all  tlie  pomp  and  circunistance  of 
j^lorious  war,  the  brains  of  the  commander  busy  with  all 
the  modes  and  mancjuuvres  of  field  tactics,  as  they  were 
then  practised  between  the  contending  armies  of  Europe, 
where  the  generals  had  large  masses  of  troops  under 
their  ccjntrol,  and  extensive  and  open  plains  over  which 
to  move  them  ;  where  the  skilful  commander  could  cope 
with  a  wary  and  wily  foe  on  something  like  equal 
terms  ;  and  where,  if  any  original  movement  should  be 
made  that  was  not  included  in  the  general  code  of  mil- 
itary warfare,  it  would  be  sure  to  be  criticized,  and 
praised  or  blamed,  according  to  its  success  or  failure. 
Hence,  as  a  general  thing,  the  commanders  were  very 
careful  not  to  step  out  of  the  acknowledged  routine  of 
the  school  in  which  they  had  received  their  instructions. 
But,  on  the  occasion  now  before  us,  all  the  old  routines 
were  completely  at  fault  ;  for,  instead  of  wide  and  ex- 
tensive plains,  they  found  dark,  silent,  and  vast  forests, 
where  there  was  no  room  to  move  or  to  form  their  well 
and  systematically  drilled  forces.  To  think  of  moving 
in  mass  or  solid  squares  would  be  madness,  let  alone 
their  deploying  to  form  an  extensive  line,  or,  if  in  line, 
to  change  their  front  either  to  the  right  or  left.  They 
had  to  march  through  narrow  defiles,  or  through  pas- 
sages that  had  been  cut  through  the  dense  forests  by 
the  axe,  to  open  up  a  pathway  to  connect  distant  local- 
ities. 

Vast  preparations  had  been  made  for  their  reception 
by  throwing  every  impediment  in  their  way,  such  as 
destroying  what  temporary  bridges  there  were,  sinking 
deep   trenches  across  their  path,  and  felling  the  huge 


""mf^. 


woman's  endurance. 


45 


trees  to  impede  the  progress  of  man  and  horse,  and 
especially  to  entangle  the  artillery.  In  fact,  every  ob- 
stacle that  skill  and  ingenuity  could  invent  or  suggest 
was  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  advance  of  the  British 
army. 

No  foe  appeared  in  large  masses  to  contend  with  the 
British,  unless  quite  sure  that  they  had  them  inextri- 
cably fixed  in  some  well-laid  snare,  when  a  continual 
fusilade  was  kept  up  from  unseen  parties,  from  e/ery 
quarter, — from  the  right,  the  left,  the  front,  the  rear  , 
and  night  or  day  was  all  the  same  to  them. 

One  universal  spirit  appeared  to  inspire  the  breasts 
of  the  sons  of  freedom  and  to  nerve  their  arms,  for,  at 
every  discharge  of  their  trusty  rifles,  one  less  remained 
of  those  they  considered  the  instruments  of  their  op- 
pressors. Hence  the  British  soldiers  were  perpetually 
JKirassed  and  distressed,  their  oflBcers  perplexed,  and 
tiieir  commander  completely  bewildered.  Every  tree 
proved  to  be  a  covert  for  a  foe,  and  from  behind  eve  17 
large  stone  or  projecting  rock  the  unerring  marksman 
sent  a  special  leaden  messenger,  with  a  full  and  free 
discharge  from  the  British  service  of  some  officer  or 
private. 

Engaged  in' this  contest  was  the  regiment  to  which 
Captain  Walters  belonged  ;  and  we  may  believe  that,  as 
a  general  thing,  it  would  act  with  as  much  heroism,  and 
suffer  with  as  much  fortitude,  as  any  other  regiment  of 
the  line.  There  is,  however,  one  incident  of  special  hero- 
ism to  which  we  must  necessarily  refer,  as  it  is  connected 
with  the  main  features  of  our  narrative  ;  and  we  will  en- 
deavor to  be  faithful  in  its  recital. 

Several   desperate   attacks  had   been   made    on    the 


46 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


camp.  It  was  noticed  that  the  parties  who  made  these 
fierce  onslaughts  generally  came  from  one  direction, 
and  it  was  concluded  to  send  a  detachment  to  oppose 
the  next  approach  of  the  foe  that  might  be  made,  and, 
if  the  resistance  should  prove  successful,  then  to  follow 
up  the  party,  and,  if  possible,  break  up  their  rendez- 
vous. It  so  happened  that  Captain  Walters  was  the 
oflhjor  who  was  selected  for  this  hazardous  and  impor- 
tant enterprise,  with  permission  to  make  his  own  selec- 
tion of  such  men  from  the  whole  regiment  as,  in  his 
judgment,  were  the  best  fitted  for  the  object.  Captain 
Walters  felt  the  full  weight  of  responsibility  of  the 
commission,  and  well  knew  how  deeply  his  standing  and 
reputation  were  involved,  as  well  as  that  of  the  regi- 
ment and  the  army  at  large,  and,  therefore,  in  selecting 
his  men  and  making  preparations  to  resist  the  attack, 
he  exercised  all  the  care  and  skill  that  human  prudence 
could  suggest. 

When  all  was  ready,  taking  advantage  of  the  dark- 
ness of  night,  they  sallied  forth  from  the  camp.  Wa- 
rily, and  with  cautious  and  stealthy  step,  they  threaded 
their  devious  way  through  the  tangled  brushwood  of 
the  forest,  with  a  skilful  pilot  or  scout  a  little  way  in 
advance  of  the  main  body,  ever  ready  to  give  warning 
of  the  least  intimation  of  an  approaching  foe.  They 
had  advanced  some  distance  when  the  scout  discerned 
an  obiect  advancing  with  the  same  stealthy  caution  that 
lie  hii..oelf  observed.  But  ho,  believing  himself  as  yet 
unseen,  which  proved  true,  lay  down,  so  as  to  allow  the 
one  approaching  to  pass  him  a  little  to  the  left  ;  then,  as 
he  lay,  quickly  taking  aim,  sent  an  arrow  through  the 
body  of  his  victim,  penetrating  his  heart — causing  him 


I 


to  si)r 
This  a 
sign  a 
made 
wakef 


I  at  lian( 

I  Here 

-  on  slai: 

;  eastern 

.  be  in  tl 

I  the  con 

1  his  me 

"4 

I  word  ol 

I  alter  pc 

1  tain  W 

I  which  1 

i  Inimedi 


that  ap] 
i   in  scare 

I 


men. 


I   might  I 


WOMAN'S    ENDURANCE. 


47 


rhey        1 
rned        | 

.A 

that        t 

yet        i 
r  the        1 

n,  as        i 

the       i 

him        1 

to  spring  upward  and  then  fall  heavily  on  his  face,  dead. 
Tliis  action  of  the  scout  proved  to  his  party  a  sufficient 
.signal  of  the  approach  of  danger,  and  they  at  once 
made  preparation  for  an  onslaught.  But  other  eyes  as 
wakeful  as  their  own  had  vvitnessed  the  deed,  for  the 
American  party  had  taken  the  precaution  to  double  their 
scouts, — one  on  the  trail  of  him  who  was  shut,  who  as 
quickly  gave  his  own  party  notice  that  foes  wore  near 
at  hand. 

Here,  then,  these  prowling  parties,  each  sternly  bent 
on  slaughter,  just  as  the  gray  dawn  began  to  tinge  the 
eastern  horizon,  met  face  to  face,  so  far  as  that  could 
be  in  this  dense  forest.  But  the  opposing  party,  seeing 
the  compact  array  in  which  Captain  Walters  had  formed 
his  men,  who,  with  fixed  bayonets,  awaited  only  the 
word  of  command  to  charge  them,  made  a  hasty  retreat 
after  pouring  in  a  deadly  volley  from  their  rifles.  Cap- 
tain Walters  then  ordered  the  volley  to  be  returned, 
which  had  as  fatal  an  effect  on  the  retreating  party. 
Immediately  ordering  a  rapid  advance  in  pursuit,  he  soon 
came  up  with  the  enemy  in  an  open  space,  or  large  clear- 
ing in  the  woods,  in  which  was  a  large  frame-building 
that  appeared  to  be  the  rendezvous  of  which  they  were 
in  search.  With  perfect  coolness  and  consummate  skill 
lie  made  his  dispositions,  and  his  company,  both  men 
and  officers,  seemed  inspired  with  the  same  cool  ardor 
as  himself.  But  there  now  opened  up  before  them  a 
sight  that  might  well  shake  the  courage  of  these  heroic 
num.  A  company''  of  the  enemy,  surpassing  them- 
selves in  number,  armed  to  the  very  teeth,  and  under 
the  command  of  an  able  mind,  drew  up  before  them.  It 
might  be  seen,  by  the  fixedness  of  every  muscle  in  each 


!P 


48 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


couTitonanco,  that  tlioy  posscssod  the  spirit  both  to 
(liirc  and  to  do  :  every  musket  was  <^raspcd  witii  a  rip;i(l 
firmness,  every  foot  seemed  locked  to  the  ground.  Had 
they  been  so  many  marble  statues  they  could  not  hav(; 
appeared  more  stern  and  invulnerable.  Every  man  fixed 
his  eye  with  steady  look  on  his  commander,  and  their 
every  movement  seemed  under  the  control  of  his  stern 
will.  There  might  be  seen,  also,  that  mutual  confidence, 
the  leader  in  the  man  and  the  man  in  the  leader,  that 
goes  far  to  secure  the  success  of  an  cnterprisf?. 

Now,  when  troops  such  as  these  are  placed  in  hostile 
position,  awaiting  the  word  of  command  to  attack;  sus- 
pense is  associated  with  something  akin  to  awe  ;  and 
at  length,  when  the  charge  is  sounded,  quick  as  the 
flash  of  lightning  the  shock  and  tumult  of  battle  begin. 
The  clash  and  clangor  of  steel,  the  shout,  fury,  and  con- 
fusion of  the  combatants  make  the  woods  ring  again. 
As  the  cries  of  the  combatants  rang  out  in  the  death- 
struggle,  it  was  as  if  the  infernal  host  had  escaped 
from  the  lower  regions,  and  were  then  and  there  holding 
high  carnival.  It  seemed,  indeed,  as  though  the  future 
well-being,  if  not  the  very  existence  of  their  respective 
nations,  might  have  depended  on  their  endurance,  their 
firm  nerve,  and  their  strong  will,  so  determined  and 
vengeful  was  the  strife. 

In  the  general  mHee,  Captain  Walters  had  been  very 
severely  wounded  in  the  left  shoulder  and  the  left  thigh  ; 
but  still,  with  praiseworthy  coolness  and  self-devotion, 
he  was  always  to  be  found  wherever  duty  called  him,  or 
danger  seemed  most  imminent ;  and  thus  it  happened 
he  came  in  contact  with  the  commanding  oflBcer  of  the 
opposing  force,  and  each,  with  drawn  sword  in  hand 


woman's  endurance 


49 


(l)()tli  as  true  as  the  steel  they  bore),  demanded  of  the 
other  to  surrender.  Neither  seemed  willing'  to  comply, 
and  both  assumed  a  posture  of  defence.  It  was  soon 
(liso(;rnibIe  that  neither  of  them  would  prove  a  novice 
in  the  art  of  self-defence.  Their  swords  were  soon 
crossed,  and  with  celerity  and  consunnnate  tact  every 
thrust  was  parried,  every  cut  dexterously  guarded,  and 
every  lunge  adroitly  thrown  aside.  And  such  was  the 
effect  of  this  cool,  masterly  exhibition  otscience,  that 
the  attention  of  the  other  combatants  w4|  irresistibly 
drawn  to  them,  they  actually  forgetting  for  the  moment 
that  they  themselves  had  been  in  deadly  conflict.  All 
this  time  the  wounds  of  Captain  Walters  were  bleeding 
profusely,  and  he  began  to  feel  their  ill  eflects  upon  his 
whole  system.  From  the  loss  of  blood,  his  movements 
were  growing  unsteady  ;  his  countenance  became  pale 
and  livid,  and  gave  indication  of  exhaustion.  The  keen 
eye  of  his  opponent  saw  all  this,  and  soon  discovered 
that  he  h:id  the  advantage,  and  that  he  might  have  dis- 
patched Walters  with  comparative  ease.  But,  lowering 
his  sword  in  token  of  his  purpose,  he  placed  it  in  his 
left  hand,  and,  at  the' same  time  stepping  forward  with 
his  right  hand  extended,  said — 

"  Sir,  I  am  not  a  dastard,  thus  to  take  advantage  of 
a  brave  man.  You  and  your  companions  in  arms  have 
fought  nobly,  and  won  undying  laurels."     • 

But  before  he  liad  finished  speaking,  the  excitement 
ceasing,  from  loss  of  blood  Captain  Walters  swooned 
away.  The  generous  action  of  the  American  captain 
hiid  its  effect  on  his  followers,  and  soon  melted  all  those 
stern  warrior-hearts,  causing  them  to  vie  with  each 
other  in  acts  of  kindness,  and  especially  in  their  atten- 


w»»n,. 


50 


THE     JJLACK     rilANTOM;     OR, 


tioTiH  to  the  wonndcHl  and  tlio  dyiiiff.  Tho  largo  bnildiiip^ 
alnjady  alluded  to  was  soon  put  in  requisition,  and  those 
who  had  so  liitely  levelled  the  musket  and  wielded  the 
sword  were  now  found  to  Ix;  the  kindest  and  tendrrest 
of  nurses.  Tlu^y  had  nu^t  at  the  first  with  the  dark  side 
of  humanity  towards  each  other  ;  hut  now  a  brighter 
sid(;  was  seen,  thus  forming  a  heautifid  contrast.  "  Oh, 
that  kings  would  know  that  they  are  men,  and  men  that 
they  ai-e  brethren  !"  But  Captain  Walters  received  the 
special  care  and  most  markcnl  attention  from  the  Amer- 
i(;an  captain,  wiiose  name  was  Baldwin. 

It  so  happened  tliat  tin;  residence  of  Captain  Baldwin 
was  but  a  few  miles  'distant,  and  there  he  at  once  de- 
cided to  have  Captain  Walters  conveyed,  where  he  would 
be  surrounded  with  home  comforts,  be  attended  with 
greater  care,  and  have  the  benefit  of  his  own  family 
physician.  This  arrangement  was  speedily  carried  into 
effect,  and  Captain  Walters  was  received  anci  attended 
to  with  as  much  kindness,  and  even  affection,  as  he  could 
desire.  His  woinids  proved  of  a  far  more  serious  nature 
than  was  at  first  supposed.  On  examination  it  was  dis- 
covered that  he  had  be(!n  wounded  by  a  musket  or  pistol 
shot  in  both  the  thigh  and  shoulder.  The  balls  still  re- 
mained, and  that  there  would  be  much  difficulty  in  ex- 
tracting them,  giving  excessive  pain  to  the  patient, 
seem(d  evident  from  their  being  firmly  imbedded  among 
the  muscles. 

Altlui'igh  Captain  Walters  was  so  highly  favored, 
considering  the  circumstances  that  had  brought  him 
there, — appearing  in  the  first  instance  as  an  enemy,  now 
treated  as  a  friend,  and  cared  for  in  every  possible  way, 
— still  there  was  one  absent  for  whom  his  soul  yearned, 


i 


WOMAN  S     ENDURANCE. 


51 


and  }io  was  licurd  to  softly  inciitioii  her  namo  and  to  cx- 
prcHS  a  wisli  that  his  wifo  ini'-'ht  be  informed  of  his 
|)ies('nt  condition.  Tiio  desire  was  no  sooner  uttered 
tlian  it  was  caught  at  by  Captain  Baldwin,  witli  the 
full  and  hearty  assurance  that  liis  wish  should  be 
promptly  coniplied  with,  at  all  hazards. 

It  was  now  more  than  four  months  since  Captain 
Walters  had  left  his  family  at  Montreal — that  family 
that  was  more  than  all  the  world  to  him,  every  member 
(if  wliich  was  closely  entwined  around  his  heart  by  the 
tcnderest  of  all  eartlily  ties.  But  now  he  was  far  away 
from  them,  severely  wounded,  conrnunl  to  his  IkmI,  and 
among  strangers,  if  Ik;  might  not  justly  say  in  an  en- 
emy's country  ;  and  although  thus  cared  for,  and  at- 
t(Mided  to  with  sympathy  and  kindness,  and  <'very  wish 
or  desire  anticipated,  still  he  was  often  heard  uttering, 
in  an  almost  inaudible  voice,  "Eli/a,  my  own  Eliza  1  and 
my  own  dear  litthi  pets  I" 

But  his  Eliza,  though  not  wounded  in  body  or  laid 
on  a  bed  of  sickness,  was  still  more  deeply  wounded  in 
her  heart,  and  grieving  under  torn  and  huierated  aflec- 
tions.  She  had  mourned  her  absent  lord  with  a  true 
womanly  affection  ;  her  prayers  had  daily  ascended  in 
his  behalf  ;  his  very  image  had  attended  her  in  her 
sleeping  as  well  as  her  waking  hours.  In  that  absence 
slie  had  been  buoyed  up  by  the  encouraging  hope  that 
he  would  return  to  bless  her  with  his  presence,  to  soothe 
her  with  his  words,  and  to  cheer  her  by  his  wonted 
smile  ;  but  she  was  now  mourning  for  the  absence  of 
those  who  were  lost  to  her,  without  the  palliating 
thought  that  they  would  ever  return  to  her  fond  mater- 
nal embrace. 


52 


thp:   black   phantom;    or, 


W. 


Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters  had  been  blessed  with  the 
birth  of  two  beautiful,  lovely,  and  loving  children,  a 
boy  and  a  girl,  who  had  been  the  means  of  cementing 
their  hearts,  if  that  could  have  been  at  all  possible,  still 
more  closely,  and  more  completely  moulding  their  souls 
into  unison.  At  Ihe  time  that  Captain  Walters  had 
started  with  tlie  military  expedition  from  Montreal,  they 
were  at  the  respective  ages  of  four  and  three.  The 
eldest  was  a  little  girl,  Elizabeth,  generally  called  the 
"  black-e3'ed  beauty."  She  appeared  like  an  angel 
enshrined  in  clay,  her  form  was  so  sylph-like  and 
agile,  and  so  graceful  was  she  in  all  her  movements. 
With  her  merry  laugh,  which  was  peculiarly  her  own, 
she  was  the  very  life  and  centre  of  joy  to  the  whole 
household,  indeed  to  the  entire  neighborhood.  The  boy, 
Robert,  was  more  tlioughtful  and  taciturn.  Young  as 
he  was  (three  years  old)  he  would  astonish  by  his  re- 
marks, and  ver}'  often  puzzle  by  his  questions.  To  say 
that  these  children  were  charming,  the  loveliest  of  the 
level}'',  would  be  only  a  reiteration  of  the  universal  senti- 
ment expressed  by  all  who  saw  them.  Early  trained  to 
the  culture  of  refinement  by  their  excellent  mother,  to- 
gether with  their  own  sweet  dispositicms  and  aptitude  to 
learn,  th(!y  were  at  once  objects  of  admiration  as  well  as 
of  love  ;  and  it  was  a  pleasure  of  no  ordinary  character 
to  listen  to  them  as  they  joined  in  their  evening  hymn 
of  praise,  'ed  by  the  mother's  sweet,  full,  and  mellow 
voice,  and  accompanied  by  her  on  the  pijino. 

Was  it  any  wonder,  then,  that  these  two  lovely  young 
cherubs  should  be  esteemed  as  their  mother's  pride  and 
their  father's  ])(,'ts  ?  It  would,  indeed,  rather  have  been 
a  wonder  if  it  had  been  otherwise.     But,  in  about  a 


woman's  endurance. 


53 


lung 
aiul 
icon 
it  a 


month  after  tlicir  father  left  them,  th(;n  blooming  in 
health,  the  little  boy  sickened  with  the  smallpox,  which 
soon  appeared  to  be  of  a  most  virulent  tjpe.  Every 
remedy  was  promptly  administered  that  the  physician's 
skill  or  a  mother's  affection  could  suggest,  but  all  to  no 
purpose.  On  the  advice  of  the  physician,  the  little  girl, 
Elizabeth,  was  removed  from  the  infected  house,  and 
sent  to  reside  with  a  family  in  the  neighborhood,  to 
prevent,  if  possible,  this  very  contagious  disease  being 
connnunicated  to  her.  But  this  very  prudent  precaution 
proved  to  be  of  no  avail  whatever  ;  for  she,  in  a  very 
short  time,  sickened  with  the  same  dire  complaint,  and 
was  brought  home  to  the  sorrowing  and  heart-stricken 
mother.  It  would  be  in  vain  for  us  to  attempt  to  de- 
scribe the  unremitting  labor  of  that  mother,  whose  pure 
aflection  supported  her  in  her  toils  and  watchings,  both 
day  and  night,  during  those  sad  weeks,  amidst  these  her 
accumulated  and  k(;en  sorrows.  But  all  her  labor,  her 
affection,  and  her  unwearied  attention  were  of  no  avail. 
The  demand  had  been  made  upon  her  liousehold,  and 
the  contribution,  however  painful,  had  to  be  submitt(^d 
to  ;  she  had  to  render  her  quota  to  help  fill  up  the  shin- 
ing ranks  before  the  throne  of  God.  The  precious  de- 
posit that  had  been  placed  under  her  charge  had,  niost 
certainly,  been  watched  over  with  a  care  and  assiduity 
befitting  their  priceless  value  and  their  high  destiny. 
She  had,  at  the  first,  received  them,  as  comparative 
blanks  that  had  to  be  filled  up — as  rcmgh  blo(;ks  from 
the  (juarry  of  nature  ;  but  she  had  filled  them  up,  had 
polished  and  beautified  th(!'n,  and  had  delivered  th<,'m 
back  to  their  Owner  as  gems  of  the  first  water.  Though 
thus  stricken  down  with  deep  sorrow,  she  at   length 


54 


THE     BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


Hi 


submitted  witli  true  Christian  fortitude  ;  consequently, 
there  was  none  of  tliat  loud,  boisterous,  raving,  outside 
grief,  that  rather  shows  its  shallowness  than  its  depth 
and  })()wer — more  like  the  noisy  ripple  of  tiie  tiny  rivu- 
let, than  the  broad,  deep,  iind  even  ilow  of  the  noble 
river.  It  is  true  that,  when  they  were  carried  forth  and 
deposited  in  the  grave, — or,  as  it  may  be  termed,  th 
Christian's  night-room,  where  the  body,  the  outwai, 
dress  of  the  spirit,  is  laid  by  until  it  will  be  required 
again  at  the  morning  of  the  first  resurrection, — she  did 
feel  the  loneliness  of  her  situation  in  all  its  blank,  dark 
dreariness  :  but  she  well  knew  that  there  was  One 
whose  eye  was  ever  over  her  for  good,  and  whose  ear 
was  open  to  her  every  plaint :  and  persuaded  that  she 
had  now  close  relationships  above — that  up  there  were 
safely  housed  her  darling  little  ones,  that  they  were  now 
safe  in  the  bosom  of  her  heavenly  Father — she  had  ever 
a  celestial  halo  around  her  sorrow. 

But  there  was  one  thing  that  was  calculated  to  give 
point  to  all  her  other  sorrows,  and  that  was,  that  her 
husband  had  not  faithfully  carried  out  his  promise  that 
he  would  write,  at  the  very  furthest,  once  a  week.  To 
all  the  letters  that  she  had  written  to  him,  she  had  not 
as  yet  received  one  in  return,  and  she  could  not  unravel 
the  deep  and  afflictive  mystery.  She  knew  that  his  love 
was  true,  and  that  his  ailcction  was  firm  and  pure.  She 
h(!rself  had  been  breathing  out  her  very  soul  upon  paper  ; 
lier  full  breast  had  found  relief  in  narrating  her  sorrows 
with  her  pen  ;  and  she  often  asked  herself,  why  was 
there  no  response  ?  She  hoped,  she  feared,  and  at  times 
she  was  led  to  dread  that  there  might  .  be  something 
wrong  ;  some  fatal  mishap  might  have  befallen  the  ob- 


sol 
Sill 


woman's   p^ndurance. 


55 


joct  of  her  solicitude.  And  this  state  of  suspense,  in 
her  case,  was  hard  to  bear  ;  for  slie  was  of  a  hiu'hly 
sensitive  nature,  and,  keeidy  alive  to  both  joys  and 
sorrows,  could  fully  appreciate  the  one,  but  at  all  times 
suffered  most  keeidy  under  the  other. 

But,  if  it  will  not  be  anticipating  a  part  of  our  narra- 
tive, we  will  just  mention  here,  to  avoid  any  unpleasant 
misgivings  in  the  mind  of  the  reader,  that  Captain  Wal- 
tej's  had  most  scrupulously,  in  every  sense  of  the  word, 
been  faithful  to  his  promise,  and  had  perhaps  written 
as  many,  if  not  more  letters  than  his  wife  ;  but  none 
had  ever  reached  their  destination,  so  that  there  was 
mutual  disappointment.  This  was  owing  to  the  letters 
being  intercepted  by  ])arties  who  had  completely  cut 
off  communications  with  the  headquarters  of  the  British 
army  and  the  city  of  Montreal. 


hat 


.0 


loi 


Lve 


Jie 


ler 


KVS 


as 


les 


nj 


iiiir 


6Q 


TTIE     lUiACK     phantom;     OR, 


CHAPTER  V. 

On  the  promise  of  Captain  Baldwin  to  Captain  Wal- 
ters, that  he  would  promptly  make  arrangements  to  con- 
vey information  to  Mrs.  Walters,  he  at  once  sent  Lieu- 
tenant Wyndham,  the  officer  next  in  command  under 
Captain  Walters, — he  having  given  his  parole  of  honor, 
with  a  polite  note  to  the  commander  of  the  British 
forces,  stating  his  wish,  and  the  ardent  desire  of  Captain 
Walters'  to  see  his  wife.  And,  as  there  were  at  that 
time  no  regular  post-roads,  or  any  stages  to  convey 
parties  from  place  to  place.  Captain  Baldwin  generously 
placed  at  the  service  of  the  lieutenant  his  own  carriage 
and  span  of  horses,  with  the  understanding  that  if  it  were 
the  desire  of  Mrs.  Walters  to  return  with  him,  she  was 
at  perfect  liberty  to  do  so. 

So  far  so  good.  But  it  was  essentially  necessary  that 
a  pass,  or  permit,  should  be  procured  from  both  the 
American  and  British  authorities,  to  allow  this  arrange- 
ment to  be  consummated.  Such  was  the  high  estimation 
in  whicii  both  Captain  Baldwin  and  Captain  Walters 
were  held  by  every  individual  in  their  respective  armies, 
that  a  statement  of  the  case  was  no  sooner  made  than 
the  pass  was  granted. 

Thus  fully  prepared  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  all 
parties  interested,  Lieutenant  Wyndham  at  once  started 
on  his  mission  of  love.  But  between  three  and  four  hun- 
dred miles  to  travel  was  not  so  pleasant  and  easy  a 


tal 

boi 

aii(| 

liisi 

as 

the! 

tliel 

waf 

eve 

fron 


woman's  endurance. 


57 


illl 

[ted 


uri- 


tiisk  at  that  time  as  at  this  day  of  raih'oad  and  steam- 
boat communication  through  the  same  district  of  coun- 
try. Suffice  it,  iiowever,  to  say,  tiiat  after  a  wearisome 
and  toilsome  travel  of  nearly  two  weeks,  he  arrived  at 
his  destination  in  Montreal,  and,  as  gently  and  kindly 
as  his  own  rough  nature  would  allow,  broke  by  degrees 
the  whole  state  of  things  to  Mrs.  Walters,  who  received 
the  news  with  something  like  a  calm  resignation,  that 
was  quite  unexpected  on  the  part  of  the  lieutenant,  and 
even  perplexing.  This  might  partly  be  accounted  for 
from  the  fact  that  this  information  in  some  measure 
quieted  the  worse  fears  that  had  of  late  been  agitating 
her  mind,  for  she  now  learned  that  her  husband  was 
alive  ;  and  then,  of  late  her  mind  had  been  schooled  to 
sorrow,  and  therefore  not  so  liable  to  be  urged  into  a 
sudden  gust  of  grief  as  it  otherwise  might  have  been. 

But  there  was  communicated  to  the  lieutenant  news 
that  for  the  moment  completely  unmanned  him.  He  ap- 
peared to  be  in  a  state  of  consternation  on  being  told 
of  the  death  of  his  little  favorite,  Elizabeth,  and  of  his 
romping  pet,  Robert  :  and,  greatly  moved  at  the  start- 
ling announcement,  exclaimed — 

"  Alas  !  what  will  Captain  Walters  say  and  do  when 
he  hears  all  this  ?" 

Ah  !  this  touched  a  tender  chord  in  the  heart  of  Mrs. 
Walters.  "  Yes,'-  she  said,  "  what  will  Walters  say 
and  do,  indeed  ?"  at  the  same  time  seeming  in  a  musing 
mood,  and  with  a  look  on  vacancy.  But  she  was  soon 
brought  back  to  her  self-possession,  and  in  a  calm  man- 
ner and  subdued  tone  of  voice  said — 

"  I  wish  I  could  go  to  him  and  be  with  him  in  his 
sickness." 


'6* 


58 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


The  lieutenant  then  oxpreased  to  her  that  that  was 
tlie  one  object  of  his  mission,  and  that  he  only  waited 
her  commands,  and  her  desires  siiould  be  implicitl}'  com- 
plied with. 

She  was  told  that  Captain  Walters  had  g'iven  ntter- 
i.iice  to  the  arilent  wish  to  have  her  with  him;  and  in 
obedience  to  that  desire  he  had  come  to  inform  her.  On 
learning  this  she  could  not  hesitate  for  a  moment,  but 
commenced  preparations  for  her  departure,  which  were 
soon  completed.  And  as  she  had  not  any  tender  charge 
to  detain  her  at  home,  or  even  to  divert  her  thoughts, 
there  was  only  one  grand  absorbing  thought  that  swayed 
her  mind  and  her  woman's  heart,  and  that  was  her  hus- 
band. Now  that  she  had  placed  her  mind  on  him  so 
intensely,  time  and  distance  seemed  to  lengthen  indefi- 
nitely, as  the  one  passed,  or  as  the  fleet  horses  short- 
ened the  other.  Her  impatience  was  on  several  occa- 
sions almost  on  the  pc^'iit  of  leading  her  to  the  use  of 
indiscreet  expressions,  by  complaining  of  the  sleepy 
driver  and  the  lazy  horses.  But  at  the  same  time 
there  was  enough  to  try  the  skill  and  patience  of  the 
driver,  and  to  test  to  the  utmost  the  strength  of  the 
horses,  by  the  almost  insurmountable  difficulties  of  the 
road. 

At  length,  however,  her  ardent  desires  were  realized, 
and  she  was  once  more  beside  her  husband.  But  that 
first  meeting  tongue  or  pen  would  utterly  fail  to  por- 
tray :  it  was  the  looks  of  love  ;  it  wtus  pa.ssion  without 
words  ;  it  was  the  soft  but  silent  embrace  of  puve  affec- 
tion. But,  oh  what  a  change  a  few  months  had  wrought 
in  those  so  lately  blooming  forms  !  Pain  and  sorrow  of 
heart — yes,    deeply   wounded    affections — had    changed 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


5li 


lat 
)r- 
^ut 

ill 
loi' 
id 


the  one ;  and  severe  wounds  and  bodily  pain  had  surely 
reduced  the  other. 

Ahnust  tlie  first  question  that  was  asked  by  the  lius- 
biiud  and  father,  wheJi  tiie  ebullition  of  aifection  had  a 
little  subsided,  was:  "But  how  an;  my  darling-  little 
pets,  Eliza  ?" 

She,  with  an  averted  eye  and  an  assumed  calmness 
of  manner,  replied :  "  They  are  well,  and  perfectly 
happy." 

But  he,  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  kept  plying 
her  with  all  "kinds  of  questions  ;  and  in  fact  every  con- 
ceivable shade  of  a  reason  was  urged  by  him  for  her  to 
inform  him  all  about  his  children.  But  evading  all  his 
questions  with  shrewd  womanly  tact,  she  urged  him  to 
keep  quiet,  as  his  extreme  weakness  unfitted  him  to 
c(jnverse  long  ;  that  she  had  told  him  they  were  well 
and  happy,  and  when  he  was  more  able  to  talk,  she 
would  then  answer  all  his  questions  :  now  that  she  was 
with  him,  he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  get  well ;  which 
she  trusted  a  few  days  or  weeks  at  furthest  would  fully 
accomplish. 

There  was  one  subject  that  required  an  explanation 
between  Captain  Walters  and  his  wife,  and  that  was, 
why  no  letters  had  passed  between  them.  This  was 
explained  according  to  the  statement  already  made,  that 
although  the  letters  had  been  written  and  sent,  accord- 
ing to  the  word  mutually  pledged,  yet  by  some  mys- 
terious cause  they- had  failed  in  being  delivered. 

We  would  here  state,  that  after  Captain  Walters  had 
been  placed  under  the  care  of  Captain  Baldwin's  family 
pliysiciaii,  the  latter  had  used  his  utmost  skill  in  his  treat- 
ment ;  but  notwithstanding  all  ids  attention,  there  was 


^ 


60 


THE    BLACK    phantom;    OR, 


excessive  suflfering  on  the  part  of  the  patient.  The  ball 
had  ir'ibedded  itself  so  firmly  among  the  muscles  of  the 
left  shoulder,  that  it  proved  a  most  difficult  procedure  to 
extract  it  ;  and  it  re(|uired  no  less  dexterity  to  treat 
that  in  the  left  thigh.  Tlie  result  proved  most  satis- 
factorily that  Dr.  Smith  was  fully  equal  to  the  task  ho 
had  undertaken  ;  but  notwithstanding  all  this  skill  and 
tenderness,  he  could  not  prevent  nature  from  pursuing 
her\own  course.  Serious  inflammation  ensued,  and  a 
llpneral  prostration  of  his  whole  system,  followed  by 
fever  of  a  most  malignant  type  ;  so  that  for  some  time 
his  life  appeared  to  be  trembling  in  the  balance  :  and  his 
noble  mind,  too,  so  suffered  from  the  shock  as  to  drift 
from  its  moorings. 

It  was  well  for  Mrs.  Walters  that  all  this  had  been 
gone  through  before  her  arrival ;  but  still  he  was  suffer- 
ing from  the  effects  of  illness,  and  it  required  all  her 
skill  to  insure  his  recovery.  But  we  must  say  that 
no  one  coulcf,  from  all  appearances,  be  better  qualified 
than  she  was  for  this  purpose — quick  in  all  her  per- 
ceptions, ready  in  her  movements,  tender  in  her  appli- 
ances, yet  firm  in  her  command  over  her  own  suscepti- 
bilities. There  was  nothing  morbid  or  mawkish  in  her 
mind  or  manner ;  every  thing  was  quite  natural,  easy, 
and  graceful, — so  much  so  that  the  physician  compli. 
mented  her  by  saying  that  it  was  really  a  great  privi- 
lege to  be  sick,  where  the  patient  could  be  blessed  with 
the  attendance  of  such  a  nurse. 

At  length,  every  thing  seemc^d  to  be  progressing,  as 
regarded  the  health  and  strength  of  Captain  Walters, 
as  favorably  as  could  be  reasonably  expected. 

But  still  there  was  often  a  great  restlessness  about 


\v| 

lick 
th 

alt 
liiil 

SU( 

wil 


gre 


\ 


WOMANS     ENDURANCE. 


61 


per- 
,pU. 

jpti- 
her 

ipli- 
fivi- 
ith 


)Ut 


In'm.  He  would  frequently  inquire  about  his  little  pets, 
where  their  mother  had  left  them,  and  Ikjw  was  their 
liealth  when  she  came  away — did  they  often  tallc  about 
their  father,  and  liad  they  grown  much  since  he  left — 
and,  as  he  often  looked  in  the  glass,  seeing  his  own 
altered  appearance,  he  wondered  if  his  pets  would  know 
hi  in  when  he  returned  to  them — and  many  questions 
such  as  these,  that  often  put  to  a  very  severe  test  his 
wife's  ingenuity'  to  evade  their  force  ;  and  they  made 
great  demands  on  her  resolution,  to  enable  her  to  sup- 
press her  emotion. 

One  day,  as  they  sat  by  themselves,  each  had  re- 
mained some  time  silent,  apparently  musing  on  some 
absorbing  subject,  in  regard  to  the  present  or  the  past, 
when  the  captain  said  :  "  My  dear,  you  never  mention 
our  children  except  when  I  ask  you  a  question  concern- 
ing them  ;  and  even  then  you  answer  me  evasively." 

"  Well,  my  dear  Robert,"  said  she,  "  if  I  do  not  say 
much  about  them,  I  do  assure  you  that  I  think  a  great 
deal  about  them — my  sweet  little  angels." 

At  this  the  captain  started,  exclaiming  :  "  Angels  I 
what  do  you  mean,  my  dear  ?" 

"Now,  my  dear  Robert,  my  dear  love,  I  see  that  you 
are  so  very  nervous  that  you  cannot  bear  at  present  to 
refer  to  any  thing  that  will  have  the  most  distant  ten- 
dency to  excite  ;  and  to  quiet  you  on  this  one  topic,  I 
tell  you  once  for  all,  that  they  are  perfectly  happy  now, 
as  I  have  said  so  many  times  before," 

He  again  seemed  agitated  as  before  :  the  emotion  was 
strong  within,  and,  with  an  attempt  at  suppression,  he 
muttered  to  himself  the  words,  "  Happy  now — happy 
now — what  does  that  mean  ?" 


02 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OH, 


I 


i*! 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Time  sped  onward  ;  but  he  left  the  marks  of  his  ad- 
vancing footprints,  ineffaceable  in  the  stirring  period  to 
which  we  are  now  referring.  Freedom  had  erected  her 
standard,  and  it  was  floating  in  the  breeze  :  her  sons, 
too,  had  drawn  the  sword,  and  had  thrown  away  the 
scabbard.  And  that  sword  was  destined  never  to  be 
idle  ;  but  to  do  deeds  of  daring  worthy  of  fame,  so  long 
as  tliere  is  to  be  found  a  single  tyrant  on  the  face  of 
the  earth,  who  shall  be  foolhardy  enough  to  attempt  to 
stay  its  onward  progress. 

When  Captain  Walters  had  sufficiently  recovered  to 
be  able  to  converse  freely,  witliout  danger,  the  above 
and  kindred  topics  engaged  mucli  of  their  attention, 
and  he  found  in  Captain  Baldwin  a  spirit  somew^hat  con- 
genial with  his  own, — a  man  who  liad  seen  much  of  the 
world,  and  a  close  observer  of  human  nature,  he  had 
read  intelligently  things,  times,  and  circumstances,  as 
well  as  men  and  b(joks.  He  was  a  ripe  scholar,  having 
won  liigh  academic  honors  in  one  of  the  famed  universi- 
ties on  the  continent  of  Europe  ;  and  then,  t(^  crown  tlio 
whole,  he  was  a  very  pious  man.  His  most  excellent 
and  amiable  wife  was  a  helpmeet  indeed  for  liim.  So 
tliat,  from  what  we  have  already  seen  of  Captain  and 
Mrs.  Walters,  it  may  very  naturally  be  supposed  thai 
there  iiiust  have  grown  up  among  them  all,  something 
more  than  an  ordinary  attacliment.     And  then  Captain 


I  will 
ledii'e 


woman's  endukance. 


63 


i  ad- 
3d  to 
i  her 
sons, 
y  the 
to  be 
loiift- 
of 


ice 


ipt  t 


<) 


ed  to 

Above 

itioii, 

cou- 

.f  the 

had 

:S,     US 

Lving 

rersi- 

|n  the 

dlcnt 

So 

aii'l 

thai 

thing' 
)taiu 


Baldwin,  like  liimsolf,  ever  nianifoHted  an  open,  iipriglit, 
and  straightforward  candor,  tiiat  completely  banished 
all  reserve. 

One  day  they  had  b(M'n  talking  qnite  freely  upon  a 
niunb(n'  of  subjects  of  a  general  nature,  and  relating  in- 
cidents of  their  own  lives,  and  circumstances  with  which 


had 


ited  or  had 


th 


become  acquainted  or  naci  seen 
wlien,  after  a    short  lull    in  the  conversation,  Captain 
Baldwin  rather  abruptly  exclaimed  : 

"  Oh,  by-the-by,  Walters,  I  have  often  wondered  how 
it  was  that  you  got  hohi  of  that  system  of  sword-exer- 


ciee  ;  — do  let  me  know." 


Captain  Walters  responded  by  remarking  :  "  To  tell 
you  the  truth,  Baldwin,  I  have  as  often  had  the  same 
idea  haunting  my  brain  as  to  how,  and  where,  you  came 
by  that  same  system,  when  I  was  under  the  impression 
that  1  v/as  the  only  one  on  this  continent  who  had  ever 
learned  it." 

"Well,"  said  Captain  Baldwin,  "as  I  w^as  the  first  to 
ask  the  question,  after  you  have  given  me  your  relation, 
I  will  in  return  inform  you  how  I  attained  the  know- 
ledge and  practice  of  the  same  system." 

With  this  understanding  between  them,  Captain  Wal- 
ters made  the  following  statement.  "  At  the  close  of  my 
college  studies,  my  father  intended  that  I  slumld  take  a 
two  years'  stroll  over  the  continent  of  Europe,  to  enable 
me  to  gain  a  more  familiar  knowledge  of  the  world 
before  seriousl}^  settling  down  to  my  profession,  which 
lie  wished,  as  indeed  was  my  own  choice,  should  be  that 
of  the  army.  Being  fully  equipped  with  a  supply  of 
the  'sinews  of  war' in  my  purse,  and  a  great  iiuniber 
of  letters  of  introduction   to  som<>  of  the  first  families 


64 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


rcKidino-  on  tli(!  ronto  that  it  was  intended  I  should 
tiik<',  and  witli  a  licart  as  bu(jyant  as  that  of  a  now- 
llcd^"(!d  (!ag'le,  I  set  out  upon  my  journey.  And  us 
then.'  was  a  season  of  comparative  peace  at  that  tinii! 
ill  Europe,  I  found  no  JiOiculties  to  iuipede  my  onward 
l)r()j^ress. 

"As  is  usually  the  case  at  the  early  opening  of  sprin.i^-, 
all  the  highways  of  travel  on  the  continent  of  Europe 
were  throng-ed  witli  the  very  elite  of  8(jciety ;  and  you 
may  su])pose  that  a  young  man  of  my  flattering  pros- 
pects would  feel  himself  perfectly  at  home  in  such  com- 
pany. But,  as  it  was  my  destinati(jn  to  be  a  soldier,  I 
suppose  a  little  pardonable  pride,  as  well  as  a  good 
degree  of  ambition,  induced  me  to  select  for  my  asso- 
ciates gentlemen  of  the  same  predilections.  And  it  so 
happened,  that  as  I  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  Ger- 
many and  entering  the  eastern  frontiers  of  Switzerland, 
I  fell  in  company  with  a  noble-looking  gentleman  and 
his  son,  a  fine,  intelligent  youth,  and  I  suppose  some- 
where about  my  own  age.  It  required  very  little  cere- 
mony for  two  young  men  so  circumstanced  to  form  an 
intimacy,  and  especially'  as  we  were  bound  nearly  on 
the  same  course  in  our  travels.  And  then  it  would  take 
no  very  long  time,  and  still  less  labor,  for  two  ardent 
young  minds,  just  entering  upon  the  great  world,  'n'  »n' 
assimilation  of  tastes,  to  form  an  intimate  frieni  (. ; 
and,  in  short,  we  did  become  devoted  and  inseparable 
companions  for  the  entire  of  our  future  continental 
travels.  And  this  close  intimacy  with  the  son,  of  course 
brought  me  in  constant  contact  with  the  father,  a  Prus- 
sian oiHcer,  and  a  special  favorite  of  Frederick  the 
Gj'eat.     At  that  time,  this  gentleman  was  considered 


the 

(.'Ulll 

scllis 
Htte 

th(!  u 


1 


WOMAN'S    ENDURANCE. 


65 


iiropu        :l 

d  you       i 

pros- 

com- 

dicr,  I 

good    [ 

T  asso-    , 

d  it  so 

p  Ger- 

(rland, 

n  and 

soine- 

cere- 

■111  an 

■ly  on 

I  take 

.r(l<Mit 

ken 


tal 


lourse 
IPrus- 


tl 


10 


lie  rod 


(lui  beHt  swonlsnum  in  the  Pit  s;..:i  army,  if  not  on   ilic 
c'oiitin<!nt  of  Europe. 

"  It  lias  Konietimes  HUg-^'ested  itsid*'  lliat  a  little 
scirishiiess  niift'lit  have  prc:^  »  V d  t!ie  t'atlier'8  KoduloUH 
attentionH  to  me;  for  while  \u  .as  instructing  me  in 
tiie  art  of  self-defence,  he  wa'.  also  completing  his  own 
son's  education  in  the  mas*  jrly  i  se  of  the  sword.  After 
imparting  his  instructio'  .s,  he  w*  uld  then  leave  us  to 
put  in  practice  the  theo  y  that  he  1  id  laid  down.  Inde- 
pendent of  the  cuts,  th(  guards,  an  1  the  parries,  he  was 
always  very  emphatic  i  requiring  Jie  firm  grasp  of  the 
suord,  the  rigid  arm,  v  'th  at  the  same  time  the  free, 
(It'xible,  and  unrestrained  ;^lay  o^  the  wrist,  the  steady 
and  fixed  gaze  of  the  eye  placed  on  the  eye  of  one's  op- 
ponent. These,  with  an  unswerving  nerve,  were  a  few 
of  the  instructions  that  were  considered  of  prime  impor- 
tance by  him,  and  to  be  observed  like  the  laws  of  the 
Modes  and  Persians.  It  was  not  long  before  each  of 
us  became  completely  infatuated  with  this  exercise,  and 
entirely  oblivious  to  all  other  pursuits  ;  while  the  father 
would  often  stand  for  hours,  and  gaze  in  raptures  as  we 
were  each  trying  to  catch  the  other  off  his  guard. 

"  But,  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  allotted  for  my 
"ivels,  you  may  be  very  sure  that  we  parted  with 
many  lugrets,  and  with  sincere  protestations  of  undying 
fric  Iship  ;  and  many  promises  were  plighted  to  con- 
tinue our  correspondence  by  letter.  For  some  short 
time  we  were  faithful  to  our  pledges,  and  quite  a  num- 
her  of  epistle  of  a  highly  interesting  character  passed 
iit'tween  us.  Owing,  however,  to  the  troubles  that 
sprang  up  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  as  well  as  in 
this  country,  I  have  for  some  years  entirely  lost  sight 


66 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


both  of  father  and  son  ;    but  have  often  thought  that  I 
should   nuicli   like  to  liear  of  Colonel  Schwartz  or  his 


V 


Son. 

At  the  mention  of  this  name  Captain  Baldwin  started 
witli  extreme  surprise  ;  and  seizing  with  great  energy 
the  arm  of  CaJ.^ain  Walters,  in  stentorian  voice  cried 
out,   "  What  name  was  that?" 

At  the  violence  of  this  movement  Captain  Walters 
was  completely  bewildered  ;  and  Mrs.  Walters,  who  was 
sitting  at  a  small  table  with  her  sewing,  and  listening 
to  the  conversation  in  silence,  struck  with  a  kind  of 
amazement,  with  one  bound  was  by  the  side  of  her  hus- 
band. Her  small  stand  Hew  in  one  direction,  her  sewing 
in  another,  her  scissors  here,  her  thimble  there — all  was  I 
in  a  state  of  perfect  confusion. 

Captain  Baldwin  on  looking  around  him  ana  seeing 
what  he  had  done,  with  a  hearty  laugh  said  :  "  n<nv 
ridiculously  I  have  acted  1  how  could  I  have  so  far  for- 
gotten myself!  But  all  this  wants  explaining:  and 
then  you  may  judge  for  yourselves  v.'hether  it  was  nol 
natural  for  me  to  feel  a  little  excited  under  the  circum- 
stances." 

"  Well,"  said  Captain  Walters,  "  let  us  have  the  ex- 
planation, for  there  must  be  something  very  remarkable 
and  well  worth  the  hearing,  and  I  am  all  impatience  to 
have  it." 


<( 


Hold  on  a  little,"  said  Captain   Baldwin 


1  think 


that  it  would  be' as  well  for  me,  in  the  first  place,  to  give 
my  version  as  to  tiie  way  in  which  1  obtained  the  know-' 
ledge  of  that  system  of  sword-exercise,  and  then  I  shall 
perhaps  be  found  to  be  killing  two  birds  with  one 
stone." 


A 

Wal 
J I  Kite 

,S(!iltS 


woman's  endurance. 


67 


lergy 


0  cx- 

ico  to 


liinl 


give 
luuw- 


UllO 


And  so,  all  parties  being  cooled  down,  and  Mrs. 
Wultei's  liaving"  collected  her  scattered  apparatns  and 
iiuiterial,  and  tlic  company  having  again  taken  their 
seats,  Captain  Walters  said  : 

"Now,  }3aldwin,  have  the  kindness  to  favor  us  with 
your  narration  ;  for,  since  your  last  flare-up,  I  am  nM)re 
curious  than  ever.  There  appears  to  be  some  deep 
mystery  involved,  and  I  am  waiting  to  hear  it  unrav- 
elled." 

Captain  Baldwin  at  once  commenced  : 

"Then,"  said  he,  "you  must  know  that  my  father  was 
a  merchant  in  the  good  old  city  of  Boston,  and  quite 
unlike  your  English  aristocracy,  for  he  was  the  maker 
of  his  own  fortunes.  He  began  life  with  little  more  tlian 
a  good  stout  heart,  a  clear  head,  and  a  pair  of  ready 
and  willing  hands.  By  strict  integrity,  and  untiring 
industry  and  patience,  he  succeeded  in  accumulating 
quite  a  handsome  property.  Thus,  finding  that  circum- 
stances were  so  propitious,  and  fortune  smiling  upon 
his  honest  labors,  he  concluded  that  I.  his  eldest  son, 
should  be  fully  qualified,  so  far  as  mental  culture  was 
in  question,  to  join  him  in  his  general  enterprise,  x^nd 
even  in  the  alternative  of  a  long  and  prosperous  life  or 
an  early  death,  I  was  destined  to  succeed  him  as  princi- 
pal in  his  extensive  commercial  engagements.  To  this 
end,  the  best  seats  of  learning  that  this  country  then 
afforded  were  selected  for  my  tuition. 

"As  our  house  had  very  extensive  connections  on  tiie 
c'untinent  of  Europe,  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  my  fifiher  lu'd  been  obliged  to  rVq)end  f(U-  much 
of  his  correspondence  to  the  faithfulness  of  foreigners  in 
translating  the  letters.      Determined  that  1  should  not 


68 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OE, 


be  subjected  to  the  Hume  inconvenience,  or  be  liable  to 
sufler  the  same  losses  to  which  he  had  been  exposed 
throup^h  the  want  of  a  liberal  education,  he  decided,  after 
mature  deliberation,  to  send  me  to  tiie  celebrated  Uni- 
versity at  Bonn,  in  Westphalia,  Prussia,  where  I  would 
be  able  to  acquire  a  thorough  general  knowledge,  and 
proficiency  in  all  the  languages  that  I  might  need  in 
my  future  commercial  transactions. 

"  Nothing  could  have  been  more  congenial  to  my  own 
tastes  and  inclinations,  or  more  gratifying  to  my  ardent 
thirst  for  knowledge,  than  was  this  arrangement.  It 
was  in  full  accordance  with  my  then  impulsive  nature, 
and  I  promptly  made  up  my  mind  that  my  father's 
highest  hopes  and  best  wishes  should  meet  with  a  com- 
plete response  on  my  part. 

It  would  be  at  once  tedious  and  unnecessary  for  me 
to  state  minutely  all  the  preparations  for  the  voyage,  or 
to  narrate  the  incidents  that  occurred  while  on  the  pas- 
sage itself,  which,  dear  knows  !  was  long  and  dreary 
enough.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  after  many  a  toss  and 
tumble  in  one  of  the  diminutive  vessels  of  those  days,  I 
arrived  in  Liverpool.  From  there  I  again  started  uii 
my  journey,  and,  after  many  stoppages  and  delays,  I 
was  at  length  pleased  to  find  myself  at  my  destination. 
You  may  be  sure  that  I  had  a  good  deal  of  the  'cute 
Yankee  about  me,  and  that  I  set  myself  to  my  studies 
with  a  will.  AVhile  many  of  my  classmates  were  merely 
dragging  along  to  kill  time  with  the  study  of  only  a  few 
subjects,  I  resolved  to  take  a  wide  raiige  in  my  pur- 
suit's, with  a  full  determination,  at  the  same  time,  to 
thorouglily  understand  whatever  came  under  my  notice. 
I  had  not  been  long  at  college  before  I  gained  a  reputa- 


tion 

and 
catio 
thin 
be  in  11 


genci 
neig 


woman's  endurance. 


69 


or 


a  f(!W 
|)ur- 
10,    to 

lotice. 
Iputa- 


tioii  for  great  indiiHtry,  and  romio  of  the  proiossors  wore 
pleased  to  point  to  me  as  an  example  to  the  more  lazy 
and  tlioiig-htless  students,  on  account  of  my  close  appli- 
cation and  proficiency  in  learning.  There  was  another 
thing  that  appeared  to  bo  in  my  favor,  and  that  was  my 
being  an  American,  For  this  reason,  my  company  was 
generallj^  acceptable  in  most  of  the  best  families  of  the 
iieighl>orhood.  Among  the  rest,  I  was  often  invited  to 
spend  whatever  spare  time  I  might  have  at  a  gentle- 
man's mansion,  a  few  miles  distant  from  tlie  college  ; 
and,  as  the  invitation  was  a  general  one,  I,  as  often  as 
I  possibly  could,  took  advantage  of  the  gentleman's 
kindness,  as  it  proved  the  means  of  relieving  the  ennui 
of  college  life.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  there  was  another 
great  attraction  ;  for  he  had  two  fine,  blooming,  beauti- 
ful, and  highly  educated  daughters,  and  three  intelli- 
gent and  active  sons.  I  am  not  going  to  say  whether 
it  was  the  daughters  or  the  sons  that  proved  to  be  the 
main  inducement  for  my  frequent  visits,  or  in  whicii  I 
felt  the  deepest  interest.  But,  allow  me  to  say  that  the 
sons  always  seemed  to  be  the  very  pride  of  their  father, 
and  on  whose  education  ho  had  bestowed  the  greatest 
attention  ;  for  tiiey  were  each  of  them  destined  to  the 
same  profession  as  himself,  which  was  that  of  a  soldier. 
When  I  first  arrived  at  college,  the  eldest  son  had  al- 
ready been  in  the  Prussian  army  for  some  years.  The 
other  two  were  then  at  college,  and  the  elder  of  those 
became  my  college  chum  and  my  constant  companion. 
Every  spare  moment  of  our  college  life  was  spent  in  the 
practice  of  the  sword-exercise,  of  which  the  father  ap- 
peared to  be  a  most  consummate  master.  He  would 
occasionally  take  the  sword  himself,  to  test  our  skill, 


il^ 


70 


THE    BLACK     P  II  A  N  T  O  M  ;    O  li, 


'  t 


W 


iind  to  see  for  liirnself  that  all  our  movements  were 
accord ing-  to  rule,  or,  as  he  would  often  say,  his  own 
perfect  system.-  And  then  the  eldest  son  often  paid  a 
visit  to  his  home,  and  he  would  be  sure  to  have  nie 
practise  with  him  at  the  same  sport,  for  such  it  seemed 
to  be  to  us  all  ;  and  I  can  assure  you  that  those  were 
some  of  the  most  pleasant  hours  of  my  life.  The  eldest 
son  appeared  to  be  deeply  interested  in  my  accounts  of 
America.  His  curiositv  was  so  far  excited,  that  lie 
would,  on  every  occasion  that  nn'g-ht  offer,  be  makiii.t^^ 
all  kinds  of  inquiries.  As  the  political  sky  appeared  to 
be  rather  lowering,  he  would  very  often  throw  out  a 
hint  that  it  might  prove  to  be  a  field  where  laurels 
could  be  gathered  hi  his  line.  And  so,  by  the  time  that 
my  college  course  was  completed,  he  had  fully  made  up 
his  mind  that  he  would  accompany  me  back  to  my 
native  shore.  He  found  but  little  opposition  in  procur- 
ing the  necessary  leave  of  absence  from  his  regiment, 
through  the  povvtsrful  and  prevailing  influence  of  his 
father.  And  thus,  with  the  necessary  outfit,  wlu'n  all  the 
other  arrangements  were  made,  we  start(Ml  on  our  lon^- 
and  p(M-ilous  journey,  and,  after  all  its  incidents  and  ad- 
ventures, safely  arrived  at  the  port  of  Boston.  On  our 
arrival,  finding  that  the  political  atmosplu're  was  in  such 
a  state  of  dire;  confusion,  and  portending  storms  of  more 
than  ordinary  magnitude,  I,  for  one,  determined  to  throw 
myself  into  its  very  midst,  and  take  a  hand  in  the  cause 
(»f  my  suifering  and  bleeding  country.  Having  been, 
i'or  the  last  few  years,  much  in  the  company  of  military 
men  in  Prussia,  and  being  of  a  naturally  inquisitive 
turn  of  mind,  I  had  gained  a  good  d(\al  of  information  on 
the  subject  of  military  tactics  ;  and  concluding  that  I 


t'j^. 


^sst. 


Woman's  endurance. 


71 


should  be  of  most  service  to  my  country  as  a  fig'hting 
man,  I  at  once  joined  the  patriot  army. 

"  Now,"  said  Captain  Baldwin,  "  I  have  g-iven  you  a 
somewhat  rambling-  account  of  the  way  in  which  I  be- 
came acquainted  with  that  system  of  sword  exercise." 

"But,"  said  Captain  AYalters,  "yon  have  not  told  us 
the  name  of  the  Prussian  officer,  or  of  the  sons." 

"Well,"  replied  Captain  Baldwin,  "if  you  promise 
me  not  to  lose  your  wonted  equilibrium,  I  will  tell  you 
their  names." 

"  Oh,  yes  !"  said  Captain  Walters  ;  "  but,  after  the 
startling  evidence  that  you  have  just  now  given  us, 
what  a  remarkable  example  you  are  of  that  patience 
you  are  so  zealously  preaching  up  I  But  at  all  events 
let  us  have  it,  and  I  will  be  all  attention." 

"Well,  then,"  said  Captain  Baldwin,  "that  same 
Prussian  officer  is  none  other  than  your  noble-looking- 
Switzerland  traveller,  and  his  son,  the  youthful  com- 
piinion  of  your  continental  rambles.  Thus  is  explained 
what  proved  so  great  a  mystery  to  both  of  us — how 
we  learned  tlu;  samcj  system  of  sword-exercise,  each 
having  been  instructed  l)y  the  same  master.  It  will 
liTatify  you  to  learn  that  I  expect  that  same  youthful 
companion  of  yours  to  paj'-  me  a  visit  in  the  course  of 
♦his  week  or  the  next." 

At  this  announcement  Captain  Walters  seemed  to  be 
almost  frantic  with  delight,  and  impatient  for  the  arri- 
val of  his  old  friend.  His  inqtffi'ies  were  put  in  all  the 
f'nriiis  that  his  excited  imagination  could  suggest, — so 
much  ao,  indeed,  that  his  wife  w\as  obliged  to  again  and 
again  suggest  to  him  that  his  nerves  W(^re  as  yet  far 
too  weak  to  bear  further  excitement. 


72 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


CHAPTER    VII. 

At  about  this  period  of  our  narrative  tliere  came  on  a 
visit  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Baldwin,  Tiiese  two  ladies  were 
natives  of  one  of  the  New  England  States,  and  of  the 
pure  stock  of  the  Pilj:^rim  Fatliers.  They  were  both  of 
them  prim  and  precise  in  all  their  movements,  and  very 
metliodical  in  tlieir  words  and  actions  ;  but,  when  the 
outside  crust  of  their  apparently  cold,  formal  manners 
had  been  broken  through  by  a  little  familiar  conversa- 
tion, and  this  supported  by  entire,  honest  confidence, 
it  was  then  found  that  they  had  the  kindest  hearts  and 
the  most  genial  and  amiable  dispositions.  They  were 
perfect  patterns  of  thrift  and  frugality.  There  were  no 
bits  or  odds  and  ends  lost  in  their  housekeeping  ;  but 
each  of  these  had  its  appropriate  use  and  place,  and 
every  such  trifle  contributed  to  swell  the  general  savings 
of  the  year  ;  and  it  might  be  seen  that  all  their  in-door 
ari'angements  were  formed  with  a  single  eye  to  com- 
fort. 

Their  moral  sentiments,  and  their  views  of  the  pro- 
prieties of  life,  liad  such  a  oneness  with  the  whole  of  tlio 
commum'ty  in  which  tKoy  had  been  reared,  that  any 
deviation  from  the  general  type  would  have  been  con- 
templated with  something  like  horror.  In  fact,  the 
sharpness  of  the  manners,  and  the  sternness  of  the  moral 
sentiments  of  these  ladies  had,  from  their  uniformity  and 


rigid! 

iron  ; 

ligiou 

had  ii 

sent   1 

cast-st 

all  Ihi 

cradle 

Englai 

mothei 

deeply 

virtue. 

Now 

an  ent 

Mrs.  W 

the  ver 

both  hJ 

general 

with  un 

put  fori 

peared 

accompl 

keeping 

had  resi 

wealthy 

ship  she 

all  the  a 

course  \ 

could  po 

hil  and  ^ 

allection 

pious  fen 


woman's  endukance. 


Y3 


but 
and 

-door 
com- 


rjcridity,  somewhat  of  the  general  character  of  cast- 
iron  ;  bnt,  when  we  contempUite  tlieir  tlicoh)gy,  their  re- 
litrious  viewK  and  sentiments,  and  the  inlhience  tlicse 
had  in  the  formation  of  tlieir  whole  clnn-acter,  they  pre- 
sent to  our  view  somewhat  of  the  characteristics  of 
cast-steel.  But  we  cannot  bring  ourselves  to  think  that 
all  this  was  meaningless,  or  without  a  purpose,  m  tlie 
cradle  of  the  great  American  nation.  No  !  These  New 
England  dames  were  to  be  the  nursing,  the  foster- 
mothers  of  the  young  Republic,  and  to  give  it  a  start 
deeply  imbued  with  the  very  spirit  of  unswerving 
virtue. 

Now,  it  may  be  supposed  that  all  this  would  present 
an  entirely  new  phase  of  life  and  of  luiman  nature  to 
Mrs.  Walters.  She  had  been  brought  up  in  the  midst  of 
the  very  cream  or  upper  class  of  polished  society,  and 
both  her  manners  and  her  mind  had  been  formed  on  that 
general  model.  She  could  use  her  needle  or  her  pencil 
with  unsurpassed  skill  ;  the  charms  of  music,  when  she 
put  forth  her  powers,  either  witli  fingers  or  voice,  ap- 
peared with  surprising  brilliancy  ;  but  witii  all  these 
accomplishments,  and  more,  in  the  department  of  house- 
keeping she  was  a  novice.  Notwithstanding  that  she 
had  resided  for  a  few  years  in  the  city  f)f  Paris  with  a 
wealthy  lady  acquaintance  and  companion,  whose  friend- 
ship she  had  formed  when  at  school,  so  that  she  had  liad 
all  the  advantages  which  weiXlth  and  an  extensive  inter- 
course with  the  highest  grades  of  fashionable  society 
could  possibly  confer  ;  yet  there  had  always  been  a  care- 
ful and  watchful  eye  over  her,  and  an  almost  maternal 
affection  for  her,  in  the  person  of  a  very  prudent  and 
pi(uis  female,  who  had  been  born  to  wealth  and  station, 


74 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    O  [i, 


but  who,  through  reverfies,  hud  found  it  iiecossary  to 
occupy  tliis  subordinate  position  ;  and  then,  lier  ex- 
penses had  at  all  times  been  defrayed  in  some  very 
mysterious  way  that  she  had  never  been  fully  able  to 
comprehend. 

Added  to  all  the  advantages  of  high  position  and 
thorough  mental  culture,  she  had  a  true  woman's  per- 
ception, which  often  proved  a  safeguard,  and  which 
enabled  her  to  see  almost  at  a  single  glance  the  real 
character  of  parties  into  whose  company  she  was  thrown  ; 
and  she  had,  in  a  high  degree,  woman's  apt  facility  in 
accommodating  herself  to  the  whims  and  wayward 
wishes  of  others,  without  in  th«  least  compromising  h(;r 
own  mild  dignity. 

There  appeared  to  be  a  mutual  recognition,  on  the 
part  of  Mrs.  Walters  and  these  two  New  England 
ladies,  of  those  higher  and  nobler  traits  of  character  with 
which  they  were  so  abundantly  endowed  ;  though  it 
must,  in  candor,  be  acknowledged  that  each  of  them 
soon  discovered  that  there  were  discrepancies  of  opin- 
ion between  them  on  many  subjects,  both  national  and 
religious.  They  had  the  sterling  good  sense  to  waive  all 
allusion  to  those  comparatively  trifling  points  of  differ- 
ence, and  to  meet  on  those  broad,  grand  truths  that 
mainly  aflfected  their  common  humanity.  They  could, 
and  very  often  did,  pray  with  each  other  at  a  common 
throne  of  grace,  and  talk  sweetly  over  those  precious 
truths  that  related  to  their  personal  salvation  througli 
Christ  alone. 

It  does  not,  however,  come  within  the  range  of  our 
purpose  to  moralize  on  detached  incidents,  but  to  give  a 
faithful  narration  of  the  lives  of  the  individuals  before 


I 

ua, 
voli 
ill  t 
A 
wee 
slioii 
ei-Iy 
and 
stanr 
so  fai 
wonI( 
scnce 
state 
made  i 
aflbcte 
Th(^ 

08ts     M 

Xature 

with  th 

continu 

plotion 

of  Mrs. 

nule  he 

brought 

At  th( 

matter  ■ 

forests  i] 

to  he  w( 

^'Piy  unc 

meet  wit 

or  sly  ar 

roving  Ir 


woman's   endurance. 


75 


na,  in  orrlor  that  we  may  illiistratu  a  grand  principle  ii 
volved  in  the  moral  gf)vernmont  of  the  world,  as  well  as 
ill  that  of  individnals. 

After  the  sister  of  Mrs.  Baldwin  had  been  about  a 
week  on  her  visit,  it  was  arranged  tliat  Mrs.  Walters 
should  return  home  with  her.  That  homo  lay  in  a  south- 
erly direction,  somewhat  more  than  fifty  miles  distant, 
and  not  very  far  from  where  the  city  of  Albany  now 
stands.  It  was  considered  that  Captain  AVa1t(n's,  now 
so  far  recovered,  and  still  gaining-  strength  every  da}'', 
would  not  suffer  very  seriously  from  his  wife's  short  ab- 
sence ;  but  he  had  now  been  more  than  six  months  in  a 
state  of  extreme  suffering  from  his  wounds,  which  had 
made  serious  inroads  upon  his  system,  and,  indeed,  much 
fiffocted  his  noble  manly  appearance. 

The  1("  g  and  severe  winter  was  now  past  ;  the  for- 
ests were  again  clothed  in  their  beautiful  foliage  ; 
Nature  had  put  on  her  holiday  dress,  and  was  now  vocal 
with  the  song  of  birds,  the  bark  of  the  squirrel,  and  the 
continual  hum  of  unnumbered  insects.  On  the  com- 
pletion of  the  arrangements  for  the  homeward  journey 
of  Mrs.  Brewster,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Walters,  the 
rude  home-made  wagon,  with  its  wooden  springs,  was 
brought  to  the  door  at  very  early  dawn. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing,  it  was  no  trifling 
matter  to  go  on  a  journey  of  fifty  miles  through  the 
forests  in  that  sparsely  settled  country.  The  party  had 
to  be  well  armed,  both  male  and  female,  as  it  was  no 
very  uncommon  occurrence  for  travell(M-s  of  that  day  to 
meet  with  most  unwelcome  foes  in  the  pnjwling  wolf 
or  sljT-  and  savage  panther,  if  not  the  equally  dreaded 
roving  Indian. 


76 


THE     BLACK    P 11  A  N  T  O  M  ;     O  R, 


Notwitlistiiiidiiig*  all  the  obstaclos  that  impeded  tlu^ir 
})ro^-reHs,  from  the  abominably  bad  roads  or  otherwise, 
thanks  to  the  span  of  sturdy  horses  and  a  skilful  driver, 
they  wen;  fortunate  enough  to  arrive  at  their  destina- 
tion a  little  before  the  sun  had  set  in  the  west. 

Mrs.  Walters  found  the  comfortable  farm-house  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Brewster  almost  the  counterpart  of  the  one 
that  she  had  left — every  part  so  clean,  so  neat  ;  every 
thing  in  its  place,  and  a  place  for  every  thing.  It  was 
no  difficult  matter  for  her  to  feel  herself  perfectly  at 
liome,  and  especially  after  the  warm  and  right  hearty 
greeting  that  she  rec(3ived  from  the  cheerful  and  open 
countenance  of  Mr.  Brewster. 

Although  Mrs.  Walters  appeared  to  be  a  silent  ob- 
stu'ver,  she  was  none  the  less  a  watchful  student.  She 
was  laying  in  a  large  store  of  frugal  maxims,  and  tak- 
ing those  lessons  in  housekeeping  which  might  prove  no 
very  great  burden  to  carry,  even  should  they  never  be 
required  in  practice  ;  but,  if  ever  she  should  be  thrown, 
by  the  revolving  wheel  of  time,  and  by  the  possible 
changing  of  circumstances,  into  a  position  that  might 
"call  them  into  rec^uisition,  she  would  then  be  able  to 
turn  them  to  good  and  profitable  account.  And  where 
is  there  a  daughter,  a  sister,  a  wife,  or  a  mother  who 
can  so  scan  the  future  as  to  say  with  confidence  what 
they  may  or  may  not  require  ? 

After  Mrs,  Walters  had  gone,  and  her  husband  was 
left  to  the  free  exercise  of  his  own  thoughts  and  actions, 
he  felt  excessively  lonely.  Ho  could  not  rest,  for  five 
minutes  in  succession,  in  any  one  place  or  position.  He 
would  sit  down  in  his  easy-chair,  then  as  hastily  start 
up  ;  would  walk  to  the  window,  whistle  or  hum  a  tune. 


woman's  endurance. 


77 


le  to 
mere 

I  wlu> 
kvhat 

was 

lions, 

five 

He 


tiike  ii  walk  in  tlu)  giink'ii,  or  talk  nons(ni.se  to  tlio 
cliickons.  If  lie  mot  any  of  tlic  family,  ho  would  ask 
for  tlio  linndrcdtli  time  when  iii«y  tliou^'lit  Oiiptaiii 
Scliwartz  would  arrive,  and  wliicli  way  he  would  Ix; 
likely  to  come  ;  or  if  they  tliouglit,  w(M'e  he  to  take  a 
walk  in  a  certain  direction,  there  would  be  any  prohii- 
bilitv  of  his  meetinuf-  him.  In  fact,  he  was  a  torment  to 
liimself,  and  a  perfect  bore  to  all  who  came  near  him  ; 
such  had  been  the  enervating*  intiuence  of  the  very  try- 
wjC  season  throuy^li  which  he  had  come. 

And  then  he  had  no  congenial  company  to  divert  his 
mind  or  engage  him  in  conversation  ;  for  Captain  Bald- 
win, as  was  his  custom,  had  been  away  for  some  days 
on  his  professional  duty,  and  was  not  expected  back  for 
some  time  to  come. 

Quite  unlooked-for,  Captain  Baldwin  arrived  at  home 
after  Mrs.  Walters  had  been  gone  about  four  days.  On 
his  arrival,  he  went  straight  to  the  room  of  Captain 
AValters,  and,  «fter  a  very  warm  greeting,  presented  a 
small  paper  package  to  him,  saying — 

"  Walters,  here  is  something  that  may  prove  interest- 
ing to  you.  It  came  into  my  possessi(m  a  few  days 
ago.  Although  we  have  now  rather  warm  work  on  hand, 
I  thought  that  I  would  just  run  away  for  once  in  my 
life  and  bring  it  to  you.  I  have  not  time  to  say  much  to 
you,  but  I  see  that  you  are  getting  along  bravely,  and 
it  is  my  impression  that  you  will  be  able  to  stand  a 
pretty  tough  tug  with  the  sword  by  the  time  that  your 
old  friend  Captain  Schwartz  is  here,  which  cannot  now 
be  long." 

After  about  three  hours'  stay,  allowing  just  sufficient 
time  for  his  horse  to  feed  and  rest  himself  a  little,  Cap- 


78 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


tiiiii  Hiildvvin  Uf^'iiiii  vaulted  into  his  saddle,  and  was 
soon  l(jKt  to  tile  .si<;lit  ol'  Ills  anxious  but  lieroic  and 
[)atriotic  tainily. 

Captain  Walters,  on  the  reception  of  the  paekag-e 
from  Captain  Baldwin,  wondering  what  it  could  con- 
tain, sat  down  in  his  chair,  and,  with  a  small  table  be- 
fore him,  began  very  impatiently  to  untie  and  unfold 
it ;  when,  lo  and  behold  !  he  discovered  that  there  was 
every  letter  that  he  had  written  to  liis  wife  from  tlie 
day  when  lie  first  started  with  the  army  from  Montreal, 

And  to  his  astonishment  and  joy,  there  too  was  every 
letter  that  had  been  written  to  him  by  his  wife ;  and  all 
these  placed  in  the  package  in  the  exact  consecutive 
order  in.  which  they  had  been  sent.  To  his  delight,  not 
one  t)f  them  had  been  opened  ;  for  their  contents  were 
of  too  sacred  a  character  for  idle,  prying  curiosity  to 
see. 

With  eager  though  anxious  nind,  and  as  far  as  he 
could  with  steady  eye,  but  with  a  trembling  hand,  he 
began  to  read  the  first  letter — in  ft^jt  to  devour  the  very 
words  and  thoughts.  His  !"ps  quivered  ;  the  color  of 
his  cheeks  rapidly  came  and  went ;  there  was  a  flutter 
at  his  heart — yes,  at  his  heart — but  tiiere  was  a  rich 
and  delicious  feast  to  his  soul,  while  he  scanned  over 
these  gushings  forth  of  affection  from  the  full,  pure  heart 
of  a  loving  woman.  He  read  on  and  on — one,  two, 
three,  four — but  at  the  fifth  letter,  it  appeared  as  though 
there  were  whispered  fears  from  the  lips  of  tender  affec- 
tion that  all  was  not  right  witii  the  health  of  their  dar- 
ling little  Robert.  In  the  sixth  letter,  there  was  some- 
thing very  ominous  in  the  guarded,  cautious  selection 
of  terms.     What  was  the  matter  with  him,  he  could 


«'0M*AN'S    ENDURANCE.  79 

>K>t  «e«  cleaHy.     lie  n,bbo,l  i.i.s  cvo,  •   f*-   , 

of  the  physician  f  ^^"'''^  ^''^'  "tiuost  .skill 

-S«  of  his  wife's  dpi;:;"' '   '""  ."'<^  '•■■"««  l-routl,. 

H-a«  it  really  so-wastl  Tn^T  °""  ""''"'  -"■'■<• 
*"  Slaclden  Lis  darkened  d!"  '"-'  ""  ^""""  "''  ^'SH 
«'■■«  ;  perhaps  the  nex  t'tt,  -'T'  '""' ''  "'  ^-"''M 
— i»^l.t  afford  so,nc  ntu  V"'"  ;'  """^^  '"•«-■  -ws 
t»  deep  for  tears  lis  a;:;::;""*';'"-  ^i'"  -rrow 
twee,,  hope  and  fbar  hetakeltl  ''  "  '"''''"'"y  ''e- 

«P-s  it-he  reads-Uf  r™  r-  "^'^'"^'^ 
"  ""P'^t^d  ■■"  every  feature:  bod vtfd  ^J'T^~^<^^P-'^ 
prostrate.  ^>  '""'  mind  at  once  lay 

Prom  the  readinir  of  th.>  1 ,  *  1  . 
I'^'d  witi.  the  force  a'd'/u  k  t  S'''/.";  ''""^"  '™'" 
'■■oke  upon  his  rai„d-|  e  was  liW  ''«^''""'"Sf'»  "-^l- 
'■;-'  f-thfully  and  n^-n";,:. ;  S:!'/-'  '-"  there 
stages  of  the  sickness  of  h;„  .  ,  ^^'^  recessive 
K"-^"-'  and  his  ElSeth-L ir  '"■''■""^  ^'""i'on-his 
""■""to  of  their  death.  ^'*''"'  *'"^  'he  hour  and 

Wiien  he  came  to  hinKnIf  „      ■      , 
'"-■     It  was  well  f!r  r  Lf '"'  ''"  ""^  '-^  -^'-''fe'"" 
""8''t  bo  no  witness  o    Lc      ,"  ""^  "'""'•'  ""•«  thtre 
""■«'«  be  left  to  spend  If  ?'  sorrow,  that  nature 

of  ki"<i,  omciou:'";L'^^r'  TT  '"■  '■'"^•*-'-' 


h       I 


80 


THE    BLACK    PUAN'TOM;    OR, 


be  asKuag-cd  by  kindness  from  others  ;  therefore  let 
it  sorrow  in  silence,  and  ah)ne  ;  for  it  is  a  hixnry 
that  the  stoic,  llu^  nnreileeting,  and  tlie  nnfeehng*  know 
iiot  of.  The  rough  and  eoarsely  constituted  mind  may 
look  askanc(!,  and  wonder,  if  not  even  sneer,  at  the  deep 
sorrows  or  tiie  lolty  joys  of  the  refined  and  sensitive 
soul,  neither  of  which  can  they  understand  :  their  very 
nature  and  afdnities  lead  them  to  seek  other  associa- 
tions, and  exhibit  far  diflerent  manifestations. 

After  Captain  Walters  had  remained  for  several  hours 
in  a  state  of  complete  prostration,  the  full  realities  of 
his  situation,  in  all  their  breadth,  certainty,  and  dis- 
tinctness, seemed  to  loom  up  before  him.  In  a  more 
calm  and  self-possessed  state  of  mind,  with  clasped 
hands  and  uplifted  eyes,  he  breathed  forth  :  "  Oh,  my 
Father,  help  me  1" 

This  one  short  simple  petition  was  enough.  A  num- 
ber of  precious  promises  exactly  suited  to  his  state, 
came  crowding  over  his  mind  :  his  eye  of  faith  saw 
these  as  he  never  saw  them  before — and  he  felt  their 
force.  He  now  thought  that  he  could  see  the  hand  of 
God  in  all  these  trials,  and  that  they  were  designed  by 
his  Heavenly  Father  to  bring  him  to  himself.  And  he 
could  now  fervently  and  sincerely  say,  and  pray  with  a 
contrite  spirit :  "  Oh  !  my  Heavenly  Father  !  I  pray 
thee  to  sanctify  all  these  my  heavy  afflictions  to  my 
spiritual  well-being,  and  enable  me  to  glorify  thy  name." 
In  this  chastiuied  and  humble  frame  of  mind,  he  took  the 
remainder  of  his  wife's  letters,  as  well  as  those  that  he 
had  already  read,  and  perused  them  again  and  again. 
And  their  words,  dictated  as  they  had  been  by  the 
sweetness  and  the  breathings  forth  of  a  pure  and  di- 


novv 


ROMAN'S    ENI,U„^.^,^_ 


•    ,    .  -  81 

Tinely  instructed  soni    to 

l"«!y.  «<'ul.  a,Kl  spirit  "'  '""'"^  «P"-'^.  fledicatc  l,i,„self 

•■-1--«1  that  tin's  l.yi,,„„f,"'%"'"^'««  of  I,is  heart,  he 
"«■-''  of  God,  and  ll  ?  ,^,f      "f  >"  *'-  --"tar  :,AgH  be 
conscence  by  tlie  blood  of  the  f '/"'''  '"''^'"^  "''"'■  i'io 
,   Ever  after  tins,  the  sol    e,-  I     ''''""*^  "^^<^"""*- 
hecame  a  bold  and  devoted    oil;       '!"«""''>'  monarch 
He  was  indeed  a  new  ll"  t''      '■''' "^''^^ '''■  ^'''™t- 
'■""-.-"deed,  his  whole  wa"k  a^  I   ""7'  '"'«  ""'-^'■-- 
™d  unmistakable  evidence  lu,    rf,'"'-^'"'''  ^'e--"' 
I"-  this  ever  after  appc'ret  to  "l'     l\  ^'"'  "''"'  •^'^--• 
-i"fi'    e  delighted  to  die  ,      I  '":    '"  "'"y  "-me  on 
0  "s  chddren,  with  fervor  of  sol  f  H  """"^''  '>«  """"'-d 
r  «hall  go  to  them,  but  they  J,  """"''  '^''^  =  "  0''  I 

He  would  often  <,.v  *   ?         "•"'"'  ''o''"'"  to  me  " 

'>-Eii.amig,:rwrs;  ;:r:r  "°"'^-'  ™Tow„ 

"--•  <•";•  thoy  are,  indeed,    .'•".r'.r"""-"'""^^ 

^lom  that  time  forth  he  b,"   '"^  ''"S'^'s  I" 

-<i  -ad  of  all  men.      n  tl  M  ""  ".'"'"^^  ^'P'-^""'.  «««" 
'""■»  spirit,  he  was  cent  n  if       """''"'"■"'■'"■«  "ow- 
»^'"  to  .eek  an  interest  if    ^'^'"^  '"  *■'"""  ''c  c'an.e 
^'^  -•"  the  holy  aspi  a  il    '      V'""'''  '"  "'^'  «-■-• 
""  »«"-'-«t  for  the  min        .„  °"'"  «°"''  '"•■  ^''^med 

""«?  ?-'aim  in  the    l:      .:"!  ■"  «!'■■-•     He  won 


"fte"  exclaim  in  ti  e    .  ''"'  '■"  •^''"'"f-     H 

f-^  fo..  me  thatth  f E  'ly";  f-"»"-«tr  ^^uZ 
'«■•!'•"  f'y  statutes."  B„t  .2,  f  f  '  "'■■"  ^  '"'g^t 
""'«^-.  ""thing  boisterous      In         '  """'"  ^^'"^  "ot''^- 

'""'  '•^■g''l''te  all  hi«  actions!  """-'  ""  '"'»  ^vordj 

4* 


82 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


Mrs.  Walters  had  spent  the  time  at  the  home  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Brewster,  comfortable  as  they  could  possibly 
make  her  ;  for  they  thought  and  made  much  of  their 
guest,  and  saw  clearly  that  she  was  a  person  of  no  ordi- 
nary character.  When  the  time  came  for  her  to  return 
to  her  husband,  there  was  a  feeling  of  mutual  regret. 
She  had  become  acquainted  with  true,  genuine  American 
character,  as  seen  within  the  domestic  circle  ;  and  she 
knew  how  to  appreciate  the  beautiful  in  virtue,  though 
clothed  in  a  rustic  and  homely  garb,  and  buried  in  the 
backwoods,  far  beyond  the  ken  of  the  gay  and  fashion- 
able world.  She  had  learned  lessons  of  real  utility,  that 
could  never  have  been  gained  in  any  other  direction  on 
the  face  of  the  globe.  For  necessity,  with  the  New  Eng- 
land dames,  had  indeed  been  the  mother  of  invention  ; 
and  this  might  be  seen  in  the  entire  routine  of  domestic 
labor. 

She  had  now  seen  a  fair  sample  of  a  people  new, 
as  it  were,  in  their  origin,  and  unique  in  their  individ- 
uality, but  who  were  destined  to  give  form  and  shape 
to  a  mighty  nation,  if  not  eventually  to  have  a  power- 
fully controlling  influence  on  the  social  and  political 
state  of  the  world  at  large.  She  mourned  within  her 
own  heart  that  there  ever  should  be  a  desire  in  any 
quarter,  or  in  any  way,  to  oppress  such  a  sterling  and 
noble-minded  people  ;  or  that  they  should  ever  b(?  visited 
by  war — that  greatest  of  all  national  scourges  and 
curses.  But  she  felt  that  all  that  she,  a  feeble  woman, 
\;ould  d(j  under  the  circumstances,  was  to  pray  that  men 
anight  be  led  to  cultivate  the  principles  of  peace,  and 
learn  war  no  more  :  that  peace  might  yet  reign  between 
people  so  nearly  allied  as  those  who  were  then  engaged 


woman's  endurance. 


83 


d 
kl 


ill  such  a  deadly,  and  on  one  side  she  was  sure,  aimless 
and  useless  strife. 

But  the  time  came  for  her  departure,  and  on  each  side 
there  was  given  a  few  trifles  as  mementoes  of  an  undy- 
ing friendship.  Though,  as  they  expressed  themselves, 
severed  for  a  while  on  earth,  they  were  sure  to  meet 
again  where  there  would  be  no  war's  alarms,  and  no 
regrets  of  parting  friends. 

There  were  no  special  events  to  notice  in  her  homeward 
trip,  other  than  the  general  ones  of  jolts  and  jars,  the 
thr(3ading  of  the  intricacies  of  forest  paths,  and  perils 
from  the  crossings  of  bridgeless  brooks.  She  had  not  re- 
ceived up  to  this  time  any  information  of  the  train  of  cir- 
cumstance s  v/hh  which  the  reader  is  already  acquainted., 
and  of  the  reception  by  her  husband  of  all  the  letters 
which  she  had  written  to  him  from  Montreal,  and  the 
very  pleasing  result.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  vehicle 
at  the  door  of  Captain  Baldwin's  house,  the  first  person 
who  hailed  her  appearance  was  her  husband — his  coun- 
tenance all  radiant  with  smiles. 

With  an  adroitnes  that,  for  the  moment,  completely 
surprised  her,  he  handed  her  down,  and  her  quick  eye 
soon  detected  that  there  was  something  more  than 
usual  to  be  observed  in  his  manner  and  behavior.  And 
then  her  ear  caught  something  that  was  Very  peculiar 
in  his  voice :  so  subdued,  yet  clear  and  sweet,  that  she 
looked  at  him  intently,  but  said  not  a  word  on  the  sub- 
ject. He  seemed  to  have  all  the  vivacity  and  l)uoyaiicy 
of  spiiit  of  his  younger  days  ;  but  this  was  seasoned 
with  the  steady  gravity  and  wisdom  ot  ag(?.  Slie  won- 
dered, and  pondered  in  her  heart  the  caus^^  of  tin's  great 
change.    She  saw,  too,  that  his  conduct  was  (juite  easy 


84 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


and  natural — iiotliing"  assumed  for  effect's  sake.  He 
could  talk  with  her,  but  his  speech  was  seasoned  witli 
grace,  and  there  was  even  a  warm  emotion  in  all  tiiat 
he  said 

She  concluded  that  there  was  only  one  thing  that 
could  by  any  possibility  produce,  in  so  short  a  time, 
such  a  clrjTng'e  as  she  saw  in  her  husband.  But,  as  a 
prudent  woman,  she  awaited  the  development  of  circum- 
stances in  their  own  time  and  way.  He  himself  was 
not  at  all  hasty  in  his  explanation,  but  went  about  the 
matter  coolly  and  cahnly.  At  length  he  brought  the 
bundle  of  letters  which  he  had  received  from  Captain 
Baldwin,  and  placing  them  in  his  wife's  hand,  said  : 
"  My  own  dear  Eliza,  here  is  every  letter  that  you  wrote 
to  me  from  Montreal.  I  have  read  and  re-read  every 
word  of  them." 

All  this  wac  done  and  said  so  calmly,  and  with  such 
self-possession,  that  she  now  actually  felt  alarmed  ;  and 
while  he  was  thus  cool,  she  was  soon  ever  whelmed  with 
her  feelings,  and  gave  vent  to  them  in  a  flood  of  tears. 
He  thei  drew  her  to  his  bosom,  and  in  a  gentle  whisper, 
said  :  "  My  (nvn,  and  my  ever  dear  Eliza  !  you  were 
correct  in  what  you  said  ;  for  they  are  perfectly  happy 
now.  They  are  hideed  our — yes  I  our — sweet  little 
angels  !" 

"But,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Walters,  "they  are  not  ac- 
tually lost  to  us.  No,  for  we  shall  again  fondle  them  in 
our  arms,  and  press  them  to  our  bosoms." 

"  I  am  sure  of  all  this,  my  dear,"  said  Captain  Wal- 
ttn's  ;  "  ior,  after  reading  your  hitters,  and  somewhat 
imbibing  your  spirit,  my  Heavenly  Father  so  clearly 
and  fully  revealed  himself  to  mv,  that  then;  is  not  now 


" 


a 

ki 


woman's  endurance. 


85 


I'O 


LC- 

liii 


a  doubt  upon  my  mind,  or  the  faintest  cloud  to  dim  my 
spiritual  sky.     Let  us  praise  His  holy  name  I" 

And  this  so  lately  sorrowful  couple  fell  upon  their 
knees,  and  were  soon  so  deeply  engaged  with  God  in 
prayer,  that  they  appeared  to  be  lost  to  all  outward 
things.  When,  at  length,  they  arose  from  their  knee.^ 
it  iiiiglit  have  been  seen  that  they  had  indeed  received  a 
full  baptism  of  the  Spirit.  And  now  they  plighted  their 
vows  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  God. 

In  a  few  days  after  the  occurrence  of  the  circum- 
stances above  narrated,  Captain  Baldwin  was  brought 
home — carried  by  six  men  on  a  litter.  He  had  been 
engaged  in  a  severe  contest,  and  been  wounded  by  a 
niusket-ball,  that  had  entered  between  the  collar-bone 
and  the  joint  of  the  right  shoulder.  All  hands  were  at 
once  on  the  alert  to  render  all  the  aid  they  could  to  the 
wounded  man  ;  but,  in  the  hurry  and  confusion  of  the 
moment,  some  appeared  to  be  at  a  complete  loss  what 
to  do  for  the  best.  Captain  Walters,  however,  was  from 
the  first  as  cool  and  collected  as  though  nothing  more 
than  ordinary  had  happened  :  not  that  there  was  any 
want  of  feeling  on  his  part,  for  he  at  once  laid  the  pa- 
tient in  bed,  and  dressed  the  wound  with  as  much  skill 
as  a  practical  physician,  and  with  as  much  tenderness 
as  the  most  feeling  mother  would  have  shown  to  a  sick 
babe.  He  was  never  for  a  moment  from  the  bedside  ; 
every  breath  was  noticed  ;  every  whisper  attended  to  ; 
every  want  promptly  supplied.  In  ftict,  every  relief  was 
iilforded  that  the  necessities  of  the  case  requinjd.  If 
Captain  Walters  had  been  brought  n\)  from  his  early 
youth  in  a  hospital,  he  could  not  have  felt  more  at  hcjme, 
tu   all    appearance,   than   when    attending   to   his   sick 


■  i^f, 


v^»^^ 


86 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;.    OK, 


1 


friend.     He  was  indeed  unremitting  and  unwearied  in 
his  attentions. 

When  the  family  physician  arrived,  he  declared  that 
skill  and  kindness  could  not  have  been  more  judiciously 
employed,  and  he  (piestioned  whether  he  could  have 
done  as  well  himself.  On  examining  the  wound,  he  said 
there  were  no  bones  broken  ;  and  ho  thought,  when  the 
inflammation  had  subsided  a  little,  the  ball  might  be 
extracted  without  much  difficult}',  and  with  compara- 
tively little  suffering.  Thus  they  were  led  to  put  the 
most  favorable  construction  on  the  case. 

Captain  Baldwin  himself  had  from  the  very  first  ex- 
hibited the  greatest  equanimity  of  mind.  But  for  the 
faintness  which  he  felt  from  loss  of  blood,  and  the 
excessive  pain  that  he  endured  from  the  inflammation  of 
the  wound,  no  person  would  have  supposed  that  there 
had  been  any  thing  very  seriously  the  matter  with  him. 
He  had  always  been  remarkable  for  a  high  flow  of 
generous  and  noble  feeling,  and  this  had  placed  him  far 
above  the  reach  of  petty  annoyances.  And  now  that  he 
was  called  upon  to  suffer  a  little  confinement,  there  was 
nothing  like  fretfulness  or  a  repining  spirit  manifested, 
but  rather  a  merry,  happy  buoyancy  of  mind. 

About  a  week  after  Captain  Baldwin  had  been  placed 
on  the  sick-list,  and  just  as  the  day  was  drawing  to  a 
close,  it  was  announced  that  there  was  a  stranger  ap- 
proaching the  house  on  horseback.  It  was  soon  seen 
by  his  dress  and  accoutrements,  as  well  as  by  the  trap- 
pings on  his  hoi-se,  that  he  was  a  military  man.  It  wiis 
not  long  before  he  was  recognized  as  the  long-expected 
Captain  Schwartz.  The  greeting  was  at  once  cordial 
and  confidential  between  him  and  Captain  Baldwin.     It 


nig 


WOMAN   S    ENDURANCE. 


87 


ho 

'■as 


id 


ip- 
lip- 


as 


ial 

lit 


had  been  arranged  beforehand,  between  Captain  Bald- 
win and  Captain  Walters,  on  the  suggestion  of  the 
former,  that  there  should  be  no  mention  made  of  the 
presence  of  the  latter,  in  order  to  increase,  if  possible, 
the  agreeable  surprise  that  this  would  prove  to  Captain 
Schwartz.  So  that,  after  the  introductory  ceremony  of 
tlie  two  friends  already  in  the  secret.  Captain  Baldwin, 
in  a  kind  of  ofi'-hand  way,  said :  "  Oh  !  by-the-by, 
Schwartz,  I  have  a  gentleman  here  with  whom  I  wish 
to  make  you  acquainted." 

On  the  presentation  of  these  two.  Captain  Schwartz 
eyed  Captain  Walters  as  though  there  was  a  kind  of 
recognition  going  on  in  his  own  mind,  that  very  visibly 
betrayed  itself  both  in  his  looky  and  conduct ;  and,  turn- 
ing to  Captain  Baldwin,  he  said  in  a  kind  of  half-medi- 
tative way  :  "What  did  you  say  this  gentleman's  name 
was,  Baldwin  ?" 

"  Oh,"  said  Captain  Baldwin,  "  that  is  a  friend  of  mine 
— his  name  is  Walters." 

Captain  Schwartz,  looking  still  more  puzzled  than 
before,  said  :  ''  Walters  !  Walters  I"  and  looking  him 
full  in  the  face,  he  inquired  :  "  Have  you,  or  had  you 
ever,  a  brother  ?" 

Captain  Walters,  imitating  the  New  England  twang 
in  his  speech,  replied  :   "  Well,  I  guess  I  had  once." 

Captain  Schwartz  hung  down  his  head  and  muttered 
something  to  himself,  part  of  which  was  :  "  The  same 
name,  that  is  sure  ;  and  as  like  as  two  peas," 

The  parties  who  were  in  the  secret  enjoyed  this 
amazingly,  and  were  not  at  all  backward  in  posing  Cap- 
tain Schwartz  as  to  what  he  could  be  thinking  about — 
insinuating  that  he  was  bewitched. 


88 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR 


) 


ii 


Captain  Baldwin,  with  great  apparent  candor,  coming 
to  his  relief,  requested  that  he  would  explain  to  him  th(i 
difficulty  under  which  he  appeared  to  be  laboring. 

"  Well,"  said  Captain  Schwartz,  "  sorpe  eleven  or 
twelve  years  ago,  as  I  was  travelling  on  the  continent 
of  Europe  with  my  father,  we  fell  in  company  with  a 
young  Englishman  of  the  name  of  Walters,  the  same  as 
that  of  your  friend  ;  and  I  do  declare,  that  if  I  had  met 
him  in  any  other  place,  and  under  other  circumstances, 
I  should  have  had  no  hesitation  whatever  in  saying  that 
this  was  the  same  person." 

"  Yes,"  said  Captain  Baldwin  ;  "  but  you  see  how 
easily  we  may  be  deceived.  And  I  have  no  doubt  that 
you,  as  well  as  myself,  have  seen  individuals  whom  we 
supposed  very  like  each  other  ;  yet  if  we  could  have 
seen  those  same  persons  stand  together,  we  should  have 
been  able  at  once  to  discover  our  mistake." 

"Well,"  said  Captain  Schwartz,  "after  this  I  shall 
never  place  any  reliance  on  my  own  perceptive  powers  ;" 
at  the  same  time  scrutinizing  the  features  and  person  of 
Captain  Walters,  and  again  saying  :  *'  Well,  I  am  com- 
pletely- deceived  this  time,  I  must  acknowledge." 

On  this  declaration  being  made  by  Captain  Schwartz, 
Captain  Walters,  thinking  that  this  scene  of  deception 
had  gone  far  enough,  stepped  forth  with  extended  hand, 
and  assuming  his  own  natural  voice,  said  ;  "  Well,  my 
old  friend  Schwartz,  how  do  you  do  ?  I  am  so  glad  to 
see  you  I" 

On  this  sudden  transition  of  affairs,  the  confusion  of 
Captain  Schwartz  appeared  to  be  still  more  confounded. 
He  looked  at  Captain  Baldwin,  then  at  Captain  Walters, 
and  he  actually  seemed  for  some  moments  to  be  unable, 


W0MAN3    ENDUKANCE.  8<) 

with  any  thin^.  like  certainty,  to  roali.e  i,iH  ,,„e  ,„,Hi- 
t,o„  .s  to  wl,etho,-  he  was  in   a  .Irean,  o,-  ivally   vi,h. 

uwake      But  atW  Captain  liaWwin  ha,l  en.joy,.,!  :.  „ , 

-rtylauj,!,  at  n»  expon.se,  an,l  a  .shovt  „ph.naUon 
had  been  given,  the  two  old  fri<.,ds  ^eve  warm  in  their 
amsrat„lau,,ns,  and  qnito  overjoyed  at  tl,is  unexpected 


I  '1 


90 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR 


i 


CHAPTER   YIII. 


It  may  very  naturally  be  supposed  that  three  such 
men,  who  had  so  extensively  seen  the  world,  and  from 
so  many  standpoints  studiously  contemplated  it  in  the 
mass,  as  well  as  in  the  individual  character,  could  not 
be  long  in  want  of  congenijil  subjects  for  conversation. 
And  so  rapidly  the  time  wore  away,  that  it  was  far  past 
the  hour  of  midnij^ht  before  they  separated,  each  be- 
taking himself  to  his  couch,  though  sleep  proved  reluc- 
tant to  be  wooed  to  their  relief. 

Among  the  many  topics  that  came  under  liieir  notice 
for  future  discussion,  it  may  be  supposed  that  one  very 
fruitful  subject  would  be — and  to  which  they  would 
often  allude — the  principles  of  liberty  that  were  then 
animating  the  breasts  of  American  patriijts.  On  this 
theme  Captain  Baldwin  was  a  perfect  enthusiast  ;  yet 
he  was  always  careful  to  nse  no  language  that  might 
wound,  or  in  the  least  interfere  with  the  views  or  feel- 
ings of  Captain  Walters.  Captain  Walters  would  listen 
apparently  with  great  interest,  but  said  little  or  nothing 
on  these  subjects  ;  though  on  one  occasion  he  did  make 
the  remark,  that  he  was  a  subject  and  a  soldier  of  the 
British  crown,  and  could  not  conscientiously  interfere 
with  tliese  opposing  national  politics,  as  it  would  ill 
become  him  to  exhibit  any  thing  like  dereliction  to  his 
oath  of  allegiance.     "  But,"  said  he,  "  I  am  fully  con- 


it 

lel- 

<0 

Kj 

TO 

ill 

lis 
)n- 


I 


WOMAN'S    ENDURANCE. 


91 


viiicotl  that  those  principles  must  have  a  most  astouiid- 
iii«^-  iiiliiicMce  on  th(3  governments  of  Europe." 

"  Inlluence  1"  said  Captain  Schwartz,  with  vehemence, 
"  wiiy,  tlioy  will  spread  over  Europe  like  wildfire  ;  and 
will  inaugurate  quite  a  new  state  of  things.  This  pe- 
riod and  these  circumstances  will  prove  another  start- 
ing-point in  the  world's  great  and  grand  drama.  Men 
will  awake  as  from  the  deep  sleep  of  ages  ;  they  will 
begin  to  think  for  themselves  ;  and  they  will  see  and 
feel  that  they  are  a  power  in  the  world  :  they  will  assert 
their  claims  and  demand  their  rights.  But  my  mind  is 
deeply  impressed  with  the  most  fearful  forebodings  ;  for 
ill  the  first  awakenings  of  men  who  have  been  so  long 
kept  in  the  dark,  and  so  heavily  oppressed  as  the  people 
of  Europe,  the  fiery  spirits  that  will  be  evolved  by  cir- 
cumstances, will  act  upon  and  urge  onward  the  indis- 
creet, and  will  let  loose  the  unbridled  passions  of  the 
masses  to  deeds  of  blood  and  wrong  the  direst  and  the 
darkest ;  and  all  this  will  be  done  in  the  name  and  for 
the  cause  of  liberty." 

"  Why,  this  has  not  been  the  case  with  us,"  said  Cap- 
tain Baldwin,  "  It  is  true  that  there  have  been,  as 
might  have  been  expected  in  a  civil  war,  isolated  cases 
of  brutal  butchery  on  both  sides  of  the  contestants  ;  but 
the  people,  as  well  as  those  who  have  been  the  leading 
minds  in  the  movement,  have  from  the  very  first  had  a 
definite  object  in  view,  and  they  have  never  for  one  mo- 
ment swerved  from  that  path  which  was  sure  to  bring 
them  eventually  to  the  desired  goal." 

"  Ah,  3''es,"  said  Cap'  .lin  Schwartz  ;  "  but  you  must 
remember  that  your  leaders  and  your  people  had  been 
schooled  to  just  thinking  and  right  acting.     The  prin- 


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33  WEST  MAIN  STREtT 

WEBSTER,  NY    14580 

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f^m 


92 


THE  BLACK  phantom;  or, 


ciplcs  of  tlio  IMlgrini  Fathers  liad  inouldod  tlio  natioiiiil 
S(.'i»liin(Mit,  and  sliapcd  tlioir  morals.  It  was  love  of  "^-ruc; 
iiatiojial  liberty  tliat  at  tli(;  lirst  bron.^'-ht  your  fathers 
and  niotiiers  to  the  shores  of  New  Eiiurlaiid.  And  they 
brouglit  witli  them  the  open  Bible,  that  palladium  of 
civil  and  religious  freedom. 

"The  descendants  of  those  fathers  and  mothers  have, 
from  their  cradles,  breathed  the  air  of  liberty,  and  been 
nurtured  in  its  principles,  while  at  the  same  time  they 
have  been  reared  in  a  state  of  society  characterized  by 
almost  primitive  simplicity,  far  away  from  those  old 
systems  that  had  so  long  corrupted,  cramped,  and  ener- 
vated all  the  native  energies  of  man.  It  was,  therefore, 
contrary  to  the  very  nature  of  things  to  suppose  that 
such  a  people,  and  so  circumstanced,  would  long  brook 
the  restraints  and  oppressions  of  despotism.  Hero 
you  had  a  people  fully  prepared  and  every  way  wortliy 
of  the  freedom  which  they  demanded  ;  and  it  has  been 
the  potency  of  the  public  will  that  has  wrenched  the 
rod  from  the  hand  of  the  oppressor.  But,  at  the  pres- 
ent moment,  things  are  far  otherwise  in  Europe  ;  the 
masses  are  there  purposely  kept  in  ignorance,  that  the 
will  of  the  ruler  may  sway  them  to  suit  his  own  sinister 
purposes  ;  and  if  the  peophj  once  get  a  glimpse  of  the 
llinisy  barriers  that  hold  them  in  restraint,  those  bar- 
riers will  prove  but  as  the  merest  cobweb  before  the  first 
general  uprising.  The  popular  fury  once  fully  aroused, 
will,  in  its  frenzy,  blindly  strike  friend  and  foe  alike,  and, 
in  its  mndness,  may  eventually  even  destroy  itself.  So, 
when  casting  its  horoscope  through  the  coming  century, 
the  mind  shudders  at  the  prospect  it  reveals  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Europe  1" 


Th 


I        • 


wo  MANS    ENDUKANCE. 


"  But,"  said  Captain  Baldwin,  "  would  you  rather  that 
tiling's  whould  continue  as  they  are — that  the  people 
should  be  kept  in  ignorance,  and  be  considered  only  as 
the  vassals  and  drudges  of  those  who  are  pleased  to 
entitle  themselves  the  upper  class,  or  the  higher  orders, 
and  so  avoid  that  state  of  things  which  your  imagina- 
tion has  portrayed  ?" 

"  Why,"  said  Captain  Schartz,  "  I  am  fully  persuaded 
things  cannot  continue  in  their  present  state  p  for  I,  very 
early  in  life,  learned  a  sentiment  from  my  mother  that 
has  had  a  controlling  influence  on  my  own  opinions  and 
actions,  and  by  which  I  have  been  able  to  judge  of  those 
of  other  people.  It  is  this — *  Jehovah  reigneth  ;  let  the 
earth  rejoice.' " 

On  the  utterance  of  these  words  Captain  Walters 
gave  a  start,  and  looked  most  intently  at  the  speaker. 
The  reader  will  have  little  trouble  in  divining  the  caus« 
of  this,  when  he  recollects  that  the  above  are  the  words 
always  found  in  the  letters  received  by  Mrs.  Walters 
from  the  Black  Phantom. 

But  Captain  Schwartz  continued  :  "  It  is  and  ever  has 
been  deeply  impressed  upon  my  very  heart,  that  the 
present  state  of  things  among  men  is  an  infraction  on 
the  laws  of  the  universe.  Every  thing  appears  out  of 
joint — the  guilty  great  are  triumphant,  and  the  virtuous 
poor  are  oppressed.  There  is  only  one  way  by  which  I 
can  reconcile  this  state  of  things  with  the  thought  that 
God  still  holds  the  reins  of  government  in  Ilis  own 
hands  ;  and  that  is,  that  He  is  now  allowing  the  guilty 
rulers  sufficient  time  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  ini- 
(piity.  And  it  is  my  firm  conviction  that  the  governors, 
both  in  Church  and  State,  in  Europe,  have  iwjarly  ar- 


f 


94 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


rived  at  that  point.  The  principles  that  are  to  consum- 
mate all  this  are  those  that  are  now  working  in  the 
minds  of  you  A.merican8 — principles  that  must  rai.s(; 
your  nation  to  a  high  point  of  greatness  and  prosperity. 
Other  nations  and  people,  seeing  your  wealth  and 
power,  will  emulate  your  conduct  and  follow  your  exam- 
ple. This  must  be  so  ;  for  men,  like  children,  are  imita- 
tive. The  course  of  principles  is  ever  onward.  Man  is 
a  progressive  being,  and  nations  must  advance,  unless 
kept  back  b}''  selfish  rulers  and  unwise  laws. 

"  There  is  one  great  and  crying  evil  in  Europe,  that 
must,  while  it  lasts,  render  almost  futile  the  exertions  of 
the  poor  man  to  secure  a  homestead  for  himself  and 
family,  while  it  retards  the  material  prosperity  of  na- 
tions.. I  refer  to  monopoly  of  the  land.  Surely  the  day 
Cfinnot  be  far  distant  when  the  landless  will  assert  their 
claims  to  a  portion  of  this,  as  the  indisputable  right  of 
every  man  who  has  the  means  to  purchase.  Tliis  cen- 
tury is  far  in  advance  of  the  last  in  many  points,  and 
yet  people  at  this  day  only  see  men  as  trees  walking  ; 
but  your  people  have  made  a  grand  move  in  advance, 
that  must  give  accelerated  speed  to  the  world's  progress. 
And  so,  from  this  starting-point,  tlie  wildest  fancy  may 
not  be  able  to  picture  forth  the  degree  of  light  and 
knowledge  that  will  actually  blaze  forth  and  spread 
over  the  world  in  tiie  coming  century  ;  and  the  man  who 
is  a  lover  of  his  kind  cannot  contemplate  the  future,  after 
the  present  threatening  clouds  have  cleared  away,  with- 
out the  most  exultant  feelings — for  freedom,  and  her 
twin-sister,  knowledge,  must  spread  over  the  nations, 
and  draw  all  men  within  tlieir  kindly  grasp." 

"  Then,"  said  Captain  Walters,  "  you  suppose  that 


WOMAN  S     ENDURANCE. 


95 


the  capacity  of  man  will  onlargc  with  favoring  circiiin- 
Btances  ?" 

"  No,  not  by  any  means,"  said  Captain  Schwartz  ;  "  for 
it  is  not  within  the  power  of  man  or  of  circumstances  to 
give  intellect.  They  may,  and  very  often  do,  foster  it, 
but  never  confer  it.  The  will  of  man  has  no  control  in 
the  case  whatever.  You  may  prepare  your  ground,  and 
use  your  own  judgment  in  the  selection  of  the  kinds  and 
quality  of  the  fruit-trees  that  you  intend  shall  form  your 
orchard  ;  and  you  may,  to  a  very  great  extent,  control 
and  mould  your  flocks  and  herds,  by  careful  sehictions 
and  prudent  crossings  :  but  where  is  the  man  who  shall 
say  and  determine,  at  the  connnencement  of  his  domestic 
life,  I  will  have  so  many  sons,  and  beforehand  make  a 
selection  from  the  intellectual  or  sensible  arts  that  they 
shall  pursue,  irrespective  of  the  mental  provisions  of 
nature  ?  But  he  may  train  the  whole  of  his  family  to 
virtuous  habits,  and  start  them  in  useful  and  honorabh- 
pursuits  ;  and  these  will  prove  of  more  sterling  value, 
both  to  themselves  and  to  the  community  in  which  they 
reside,  than  the  most  brilliant  endowments  of  genius. 
Tlie  spirit  of  genius  is  a  coy  vagrant ;  man  has  no  bait 
to  lure  her  to  his  embrace,  or  to  induce  her  to  do  hia 
bidding.  She  is  erratic  in  her  movements  :  now  she 
may  make  choice  of  a  region  in  the  sunny  south, — at  an- 
other time  in  the  frozen  clime  of  the  ucjrth.  She  eludes 
the  pampered  sons  of  sloth  and  the  effeminate  circle, 
and  often  selects  for  her  favorite  the  obscure  and  the 
[)oor.  Men  of  might  or  of  power  cannot  claim  her  pres- 
ence or  command  her  obedience.  Constantino  might, 
by  his  authority,  make  choice  of  the  beautiful  site  on 
the  shore  of  the  Bosphorus  on  which  to  build  the  city  of 


96 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     C  R, 


I 


ConRtantiii()[)Ic ;  but,  with  all  the  resources  of  the 
Roman  eiii{>ire  at  his  command,  ho  could  not  evoke  tliu 
spirit  of  genius,  or  infuse  the  talents  of  a  Phydias  into 
any  of  his  numerous  subjects  to  adorn  it.  The  increase 
of  wealth,  and  the  conse(iuent  corruption  of  manners, 
has  driven  the  spirit  of  genius  from  those  places  whicii 
aforetime  were  her  favorite  haunts.  And  all  men  are 
now  more  or- less  practical  sophists  ;  they  reason  falsely, 
and  they  act  still  worse.  The  clergyman,  by  continually 
poring  over  his  dogmas,  influenced  b}''  the  contracted 
views  and  principles  of  sect,  contracts  his  own  intellect 
The  physician,  by  spending  his  time  and  having  his 
Attention  all  absorbed  in  prescribing  to  the  pliysical  ne- 
.'^essities  of  his  patients,  too  often  circumscribes  the  ex- 
tent of  his  own  mental  vision.  The  lawyer  is  often  so 
one-c;ided  and  technical  as  to  warp  his  judgment  ;  for, 
assiduously  intent  in  his  study  of  statute  and  common 
law,  he  foregoes  those  higher  ranges  of  thought  that 
would  warm,  and  cheer,  and  elevate  his  soul.  Thus  it 
may  be  said  that  all  men  arc  walking  in  a  vain  show, 
for  their  very  professions,  without  great  care,  have  a 
direct  tendency  to  clip  the  wings  of  their  fancy  and  cir- 
cumscribe the  range  of  tlieir  imagination, 

"  And  then  it  is  my  impression,"  continued  Captain 
Schwart2f,  "  that  there  never  will  be  an  intellect  able  to 
produce  works  to  surpass  those  of  Homer,  so  far  as  in- 
vention and  the  pure  spirit  of  poetry  are  in  question 
And  again,  as  to  a  knowledge  of  the  secret  workings  of 
the  human  heart — and,  indeed,  of  that  microcosm,  man 
— none  of  the  modern  autliors  as  yet  have  equalled,  let 
alone  surpassed,  the  ancients  ;  and  it  is  a  question  with 
me  whether  future  writers  will  accomplish  more.     But 


W  O  M  A  N's    E  N  D  U  H  a  N  C  E. 


97 


iiidcHMl  it  matUn's  little,  so  far  as  the  real  happiness  of 
man  and  tlic  well-being  of  sixMety  are  to  be  intlueneed. 
But  what  T  wisli  to  say  is,  that  tliat  knowledge;  and  all 
that  freedom  which  are  now  confined  to  a  favored  class, 
will  then  be  so  equ.'illy  diffused  over  the  general  coni- 
niiinity,  that  every  unit  in  society  shall  count  for  its 
full  value,  and  every  individual  feel  his  full  weight  and 


nnpor 


tance,  and,  well  instructed  to  that  (Mid,  have  his 


say  on  all  questions  of  public  import :  that  there  shall 
be  no  one  single  privilege  claimed  by  an}'  portion  of  the 
coMununity  that  shall  not  be  equally  and  alike  the  in- 
lieritance  of  all." 

"Then,  is  it  your  opinion,"  said  Captain  Walters,  "that 
to  possess  all  the  privileges  of  a  member  of  the  body 
politic,  and  the  unrestricted  exercise  of  freedom  of 
speech  on  all  subjects,  and  to  hiivo  all  the  avenues  of 
knowledge  open  to  his  inspection,  and  his  acquirements 
in  proportion, — that  these  will  constitute  the  ciiief  well- 
being  of  man  and  of  society  ?" 

"  No,  I  would  not  be  understood  to  mean  that,"  said 
Captain  Schwartz  ;  "  but  this  I  will  say,  tliat  oppression 
and  ignorance  were  never  yet  known  to  f(;ster  the  kind- 
lier feelings  and  sentiments  of  the  human  heart,  or  the 
virtues  of  e very-day  life,  for  both  the  oppressor  and  the 
oppressed  equally  suffer.  And  these  virtues,  after  all, 
are  the  true  and  solid  basis,  as  well  as  the  strong  bonds 
of  human  society,  and  mow.  likely  to  be  cultivated  in 
that  community  where  there  is  the  r(}C()gnitioii  of  mutual 
rights  in  the  governor  and  the  governed.  Where  there 
is  the  want  of  virtue  on  the  part  of  either,  there  will  be 
found  the  sure  indications  of  public  decay  ;  and  if  not 
arrested,  the  destruction  of  the  whole  fabric  of  society 


r 


V 


98 


T  HE     BI.  A  C  K     IM I  A  N  T  O  M  ;     O  R, 


and  of  its  well-bcinj^,  wooiun'  or  later,  is  Tiioiully  certain. 
But  when;  virtue  roigjis,  and  tlie  people  ar(.'  well  in- 
structed in  their  duties, — where  there  is  a  heallliy  and 
active  public  sentiment,  a  wise  government,  and  a 
thrifty  and  industrious  people, — there  national  prosper- 
ity, and  general  as  well  as  individual  happiness,  must 
be  secure.  And  let  me  add  to  this,  that  where  every 
man's  heart  and  afiections  are  schooled  to  virtue,  these 
will  prove  of  more  sterling  worth  in  the  ultimate  re- 
sults than  if  every  man  were  a  Homer,  a  Virgil,  or  a 
Milton." 

"  Yes,"  said  Captain  Baldwin,  "  those  are  the  grand 
principles  advocated  by  some  of  our  leading  men,  and 
which  have  animated  us  in  our  long  and  severe  struggle  : 
and  it  appears  to  me  as  thougn  Providence  has  most 
signally  interposed  in  our  behalf ;  for,  though  in  com- 
parative poverty,  poorly  clad,  and  scantily  equipped  for 
the  fearful  contest,  still,  witii  a  firm  and  unswerving 
trust  in  the  God  of  battles,  victory  has  at  length  perched 
upon  our  banners,  and  success  come  in  answer  to  our 
prayers." 

"  That  is  perfectly  correct,"  said  Captain  Schwartz  ; 
"  God  has  indeed  vindicated  his  own  truth.  And  h(jw 
could  it  have  been  otherwise,  with  such  a  people  and 
with  such  leaders  ?  for  they  were  at  once  faithful  to 
their  country  and  their  God.  And  then  the  world  has 
never  seen  associated  in  one  company  sucii  a  number  of 
wise  heads,  warm  hearts,  and  such  disinterested  patriots 
us  the  signers  of  your  Declaration  of  Independence. 
Surely  the  God  of  providence  must  have  had  something' 
to  do  in  the  raising  u})  of  such  inen,  at  such  a  time,  and 
for  such  a  purpose.     And  then  the  one  man,  the  one 


I'l'onipt, 
t'ley  ha 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


99 


ur 


on  I' 


groat  and  good  man,  the  noble  VVasliint^ton — empliali- 
cally  the  Father  of  his  country — long-  may  lie  live  to 
enjoy  the  laurels  he  has  so  honorably  and  triumphantly 
won  !" 

"  I  am  pretty  well  convinced,"  said  Captain  Walters, 
"  that  Providence  has  indeed  fought  your  battles  ;  for, 
while  there  have  been  wise  counsels  and  prudence  on 
your  side,  with  a  paucity  of  the  essential  materials  of 
war,  we  have  had  all  the  necessary  equipments  and  a 
more  than  ordinarily  well-drilled  army.  But  there  has 
been  confusion  in  our  councils  and  bewilderment  in  our 
aims,  and  our  actions  have  been  without  results  ;  as 
though  it  were  ordered,  by  a  power  above  that  of  man, 
that  you  should  succeed  in  your  purposes." 

"  You  may  rely  upon  it,"  said  Ca  tain  Schwartz,/ 
"  that  though  God  may  appear  to  be  long  and  often 
mysterious  in  working  out  His  own  purposes,  either  in 
national  or  individual  cases,  yet  nothing  is  more  certain 
than  that  the  results  will  at  length  vindicate  llis  power, 
wisdom,  and  goodness  ;  and,  as  I  have  remarked  befcn'e, 
it  has  been,  under  God,  the  strong  arm  and  stern  will 
of  the  people,  influenced  by  the  pure  principles  of  })a- 
tri(;tism,  that  have  not  only  succeeded  in  conquering 
their  own  freedom,  but  in  winning  from  all  true  lovers 
of  their  kind  the  meed  of  praise  and  admiration  that 
will  be  echoed  and  re-echoed  through  all  time.  Next 
only  to  the  devotion  and  worship  we  owe  to  the  Su- 
ineme  Being',  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  true  pa- 
triotism are  perhaps  the  strongest  and  the  purest  that 
can  sway  the  human  breast  ;  and  when  these  have 
prompted  to  the  defence  or  support  of  one's  C(Mintry, 
they  have  produced  I  ho  highest  and  noblest  oh;ii;u  ters 


f 


100 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


that  have  over  adorned  the  liiHtory  of  our  race.  How 
iiiih'ke  tli(;  mercenary,  who  slng^^-islwy  and  mechanically 
buckles  on  his  armor,  or  takes  his  place  in  the  ranks, 
l()okin<]^  more  at  the  paltry  pittance  that  may  be  doled 
out  to  him,  than  to  those  invigorating  principles  that 
actuate  the  soul  and  nerve  the  arm  of  the  true  citizen 
soldier  I  The  latter  feels  that  he  is  fighting  for  the 
country  that  he  loves,  though  he  may  not  own  a  single 
acre  of  its  soil, — to  which  he  is  bound  by  ties  dearer  and 
stronger  than  all  others  that  bind  him  to  the  world  and 
to  life.  He  holds  his  personal  ease  and  comfort,  his 
propcnty,  his  blood,  his  domestic  relations,  yea,  and  even 
life  itself,  at  a  cheap  rate,  if  he  supposes  that  by  such 
sacrifices  he  may  aid  in  saving  and  perpetuating  his 
beloved  country,  with  all  its  cherished  institutions. 
How  patiently  and  submissively  will  he  submit  to  the 
hardest  labor,  to  the  tiresome  drill,  the  long  and  toil- 
some march  ;  how  firmly  stand  in  the  ranks  under  the 
hottest  fire,  and  with  unfaltering  courage  dare  and  do 
in  the  fiercely-contested  battle  !  And  how  emphatically 
do  these  remarks  apply  to  your  noble  American  citizen 
soldiers  in  their  late  national  contest  !  Never  has  tlicre 
been  in  any  conflict,  in  all  this  world's  history,  so  much 
to  call  forth  all  that  is  pure,  and  good,  and  holy  in  the 
great  national  heart.  You  have  been  placed  before 
earth  and  high  heaven,  as  it  were,  by  a  train  of  associa- 
tions, that  have  exhibited  you  as  one  of  the  best  speci- 
mens of  social  beauty  and  personal  independence." 

"  But,  after  all,"  said  Captain  Schwartz,  "  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  people  will  not  be  led  to  say  in  their  na- 
tional voice,  '  Mine  own  arm  hath  wrought  out  this  great 
deliverance  ;'  and,  in  their  pride,,  forget  the  arm  that 


WOMAN'S    ENDURANCE.  101 

tli.it  their  (lisroo-anl    f  ,7    i     "^  *'"'''  ("••'■«""«i<'n 

are  unnotii:  '  f    It  rj^^.^"'   -''•-  -"  """'-ity 


r 


102 


THE    HIiACK     PHANTOM;    OR, 


CHAPTER   IX. 


Such  were  the  themes  that  frequently  occupied  the 
attention  and  employed  the  hours  of  these  men,  and 
few  in  that  day  were  better  able  to  discuss  those,  us 
well  as  other  kindred  subjects.  But  the  time  now  drew 
near  for  them  to  part  company,  Tlu^y  had  been  brought 
together  by  a  train  of  remarkabh;,  if  not  indcH'd  myste- 
rious associati(jns,  but  each  of  them  had  done  his  duty 
from  conscientious  motives,  although  they  had  taken 
quite  op])osite  sides  in  the  late  national  contest.  Cap- 
tain Walters  had  fought  under  the  banners  of  him 
whom  the  others  considered  as  a  despot,  and  their  op- 
pressor ;  but  the  brave  and  intrepid  opponents  in  arms 
had  merged  in  the  gentleman,  the  scholar,  and  the  Chris- 
tii*n  brother.  A  friendship  had  been  formed  and  ce- 
mented between  them,  that  was,  to  all  appearance,  d(!s- 
tined  to  continue  for  life,  and  which  they  had  lull  assur- 
ance of  being  renewed  in  a  better  world  ;  and  although 
eaclt  had  to  take  his  different  and  widely  divergent  road 
in  life,  yet  their  sympathies  were  so  entwined,  that  they 
ft'lt.  and  warmly  expressed,  a  deep  interest  in  each 
other's  well-being.  So  much  so  was  this  the  case,  that, 
as  the  day  approached  for  their  departure,  it  appeared 
painfully  too  soon,  and  the  parting  itself  was  more  like 
the  s«'paration  of  loving  brothers  than  of  stern  warriors 
who  had  so  lately  exhibited  their  prowess  in  deadly  con- 
Ilict  on  the  battle-field. 


sugar,  fl 


^\  ( )  M  A  N    S    E  N  J)  L  R  A  N  ( '  K  . 


l():j 


Brfdrc  llicy  pju'tfMl,  Captain  liaMwin  said  to  C'lplniu 
Wiiltoi's,  "  that,  altlion^li  lie  and  liis  |)(m»j»I('  had  Ixhmi 
entranced  in  wa^iii^-  war  aji^aiuHt  tlio  Kii,t;'Iisli  p-ovfrn- 
inciit,  he,  for  Ills  j)art,  was  enabled  to  diwtincfuish  \)v- 
twoeii  tliat  g:ov('rnnicnt  and  tlio  En<;"lisli  poojjU'  :  that 
tlio  Tory  aristocracy  liad  far  too  long-  hnhl  the  undis- 
jmtcd  control  of  that  g'ovornment,  and  had  most  cruelly 
oppressed  their  own  peoj)le,  as  well  as  exhibited  a  de- 
tcrjuination  to  oppress  the  Americans  ;  but  that  thevo 
liiui  not  been  wanting  noble  exam[)les  of  Mien  who  ...id 
dared  to  brave  the  ire  of  those  despots,  and  in  their 
very  te<'th,  in  both  iioUvSes  of  the  Britisti  I'arlianicMi, 
had  dauntless. _^  vindicated  the  Americans  and  their 
cause  :  that  the  very  names  of  Barro,  of  Wilkes,  of  the 
elder  Chatham,  and  other  kindred  spirits,  wer(\  Jind 
would  be  forever,  cngra,ven  on  the  hearts  of  all  true 
Americans.  And,"  said  he,  "  I  believe  the  time  will 
come  when  the  people  of  England  themselves  will  assert 
their  own  claims  to  political,  civil,  and  religious  enfran- 
chisement. In  their  struggles,  peaceable  or  otherwi.se, 
to  that  end,  they  most  undoubtedly  will  have  the  sym- 
pathies of  the  entire  American  people." 

The  parting  of  the  women  was  characteristic  of  fe- 
male friends.  There  had  been  made  great  prejnxrations 
for  this  most  important  event.  Mrs.  Baldwin  was  de- 
termined to  show  her  appreciation  of  the  character  of 
Mrs.  Walters  by  the  largeness  of  her  contributions  for 
her  comfort  while  travelling.  She  had  made  a  collection 
of  every  kind  of  fruit  produced  on  their  farm,  and  these 
were  in  every  conceivable  way  of  preservation.  She 
had  selected  a  large  cake  of  the  best  white  maple- 
sugar,  and  a  quantity  of  honey  in  the  comb,  as  well  as 


.i^:l!'>f:   '  ,    ■■« 


" 


104 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


some  in  a  piinTuHl  state.  She  had  cakes  and  sweet- 
meats, got  np  in  lier  own  peculiar  way.  Tfiese,  sht; 
said,  would  be  so  nice  for  Brother  and  Sister  Walters  to 
eat  on  their  journey  North. 

But  it  would  be  useless  to  enumerate  all  the  articles 
with  which  Mrs.  Walters  was  loaded  ;  suffice  it  to  say, 
that  all  was  done  with  true  American  munificence.  But 
we  must  not  (^mit  to  mention  that  there  was  included  in 
this  general  outfit,  a  roll  of  written  receipts  in  her  own 
handwriting,  and  embracing  information  in  almost  every 
department  of  frugal  housekeeping.  And  then,  as  a 
finishing  stroke  to  all,  there  was  carefully  folded  up 
with  the  written  receipts  a  copy  of  the  celebrated  "  Poor 
Richard." 

There  were  many  little  mementoes  of  a  more  imper- 
ishable nature  given  on  both  sides — intended  to  keep 
alive  in  their  memories,  in  all  their  after-days,  the  very 
agreeable  association  that  had  subsisted  among  them 
for  so  many  months.  Of  these,  the  most  highly  prized 
on  all  sides,  perhaps,  were  admirable  portraits  of  these 
friends,  painted  in  oil-colors  by  the  accomplished  Mrs. 
Walters.  Thus,  Mrs.  Walters  took  along  with  her  the 
likenesses  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baldwin  and  their  little  boy 
and  girl ;  those  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brewster  and  their  little 
girl  ;  and  also  that  of  Captain  Schwartz.  She  left  with 
each  of  the  families,  portraits  of  herself  '.  nd  husband. 
All  were  earnest  in  their  declarations  that  these  paint- 
ings should  ever  be  esteemed  as  the  most  sacred  and 
valued  of  their  possessions. 

The  day  at  length  arrived  for  the  separation — the  men 
with  hearty  shaking  of  hands,  and  the  women  and  chil- 
dren  with   ardent  and   affectionate   embraces — all,  by 


woman's  endurance. 


105 


their  tearful  eyes  and  sad  counteDaiices,  exhibiting"  more 
distinctly  than  words  could  have  done,  the  inward  pangs 
under  which  they  were  laboring.  They  did  not  separate, 
however,  until  they  had,  in  a  season  of  devout  prayer, 
most  fervently  committed  each  other  to  God,  and  to  tlio 
word  of  His  grace,  which  was  able  to  build  them  up  in 
their  most  holy  faith,  and  to  give  them  inheritance 
among  those  who  are  sanctified. 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  useless  to  attempt  to  give  any 
account  of  their  journey  northward,  to  the  city  of  Mon- 
treal. The  roads  thitherward  had  not  been  improved 
since  their  last  travel  over  them.  Suffice  to  say,  that 
they  successfully  surmounted  all  difficulties,  and  arrived 
pretty  well  used  up  with  the  fatigues  of  the  journey ; 
and  especially  Captain  Walters,  who  suffered  sevoi'ely 
from  his  wounds,  which  were  not  yet  quite  healed — the 
jolting  of  the  wagon,  from  the  roughness  of  the  roads, 
causing  excessive  pain. 

6* 


lOG 


THE    BLACK    PUANTOMI     OK 


> 


CHAPTER    X. 


It 


It  may  be  remembered  that  we  left  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Walters  in  a  state  of  bewilderment  in  tlieir  own  dwell- 
ing in  Montreal,  after  the  adventure  of  Mrs.  Walters 
with  an  aged  female  in  St.  Paul  street ;  and  the  reader 
has  not  forgotten  our  proposal  to  turn  back  in  our  nar- 
rative for  about  the  space  of  three  years,  that  we  might 
have  a  more  perfect  view  of  the  main  characters  in  our 
history — developed  by  a  train  of  very  remarkable  cir- 
cumstances, in  which  they  were  called  to  suffer,  and  by 
wliich  their  piety  and  trust  in  God  were  put  to  a  severe 
test,  but  out  of  which  they  came  like  gold  purified. 

We  will  now  again  take  up  the  thread  of  our  nar- 
rative where  we  left  it  as  noticed  above. 

It  is  late  in  an  evening  of  the  very  early  spring  of 
the  year  1784.  Mrs,  Walters  had  been  waiting  very 
anxiously,  and  longer  than  usual,  for  the  return  of  her 
husband.  He  at  length  was  heard  to  approach  the  front 
door  by  his  expectant  wife,  who  was  promptly  ready  as 
usual  to  admit  him. 

After  tlie  first  affectionate  salutation,  the  keen  eye  of 
the  loving  wife  saw  that  all  was  not  right  with  the  mind 
of  her  husband.  She  drew  lier  chair  close  to  his  side, 
and  taking  iiis  hand  in  her  own,  and  looking  him  affec- 
tionately in  the  face,  said  :  "  My  dear  Robert,  what  is 
it  that  is  giving  your  mnid  so  much  uneasiness  ?" 


woman's  endurance. 


107 


With  seeming  reluctance  he  replied  :  "Not  mucli,  my 
dear  ;   or  rather,  nothing  more  than  nsual." 

She  responded  kindly  :  "  Now  I  know  there  is,  for  I 
see  clearly  that  you  are  ill  at  ease.  Will  y^ou  not  inform 
your  wife,  my  dear,  that  she  may  grieve  with  you,  or 
else  join  in  laying  your  plaint  before  the  mercy-seat?" 

"  Oh  !  my  dear  love,  my  only  love  !  that  is  indeed  the 
only  place  to  which  you  and  I  should  carry  our  sorrows 
— the  only  place  where  we  shall  meet  with  genuine 
sympathy — where  we  are  sure  not  to  meet  with  the 
ribald  jest  or  sarcastic  jeer — where  we  shall  not  have 
our  purest  motives  maligned,  our  judgments  impugned." 

**  Oh  !  my  dear  Robert,  I  think  I  know  now  what 
oppresses  you.  Has  not  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  been 
again  stirring  up  his  partisans  against  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  he  has,  my  dear  ;  and  is  it  not  passing  strange 
that  the  most  recklessly  wicked  may  go  to  any  lengths 
in  their  conduct  before  him  without  rebuke?  Tlio  mo- 
ment, however,  that  one  becomes  in  earnest  for  the  sal- 
vation of  one's  soul,  not  only  the  men  of  the  world,  but 
members  of  the  Church,  set  up  a  hue-and-cry  after  him, 
as  though  he  were  not  fit  to  live.  I  know  that  you,  as 
well  as  myself,  have  often  suffered  most  severely  from 
his  malignant  and  pn;judiced  spirit." 

"Sure  the  hands  of  Ciirist  have  been  wounded  in  the 
house  of  His  pretended  friends,"  said  Mrs.  Walters. 

"Yes,  that  is  so,"  said  her  husband;  "and  seeing 
that  his  remarks  are  received  by  the  members  of  the 
mess-room  with  such  zest,  he  allows  no  opp(jrtunity  to 
pass  without  throwing  them  out.  It  is  the  same  with 
his  companions  of  the  mess-room.  If  by  a  look  or  a 
word  I  indicate  an  indignant  resentment  of  their  inso- 


108 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


leiicc,  I  am  met  with  the  remark  :  '  Oh,  Walters,  you 
know  that  you  are  converted — j'^ou  should  bear  these 
things  like  ii  saint,  to  maintain  the  cluiracter  of  yonr  re- 
li<^ion  !'  I  have  seen  the  day  that  I  would  have  resented 
this  sort  of  conduct — when  they  would  not  have  dared 
to  take  these  liberties  ;  but  now  they  know  that  I  am 
bound  over  to  keep  the  peace  by  the  Prince  of  Pe?ice, 
and  they  are  dastardly  enough  to  take  advantage  of  one 
who  is  governed  by  the  mild  spirit  of  the  gospel,  as  I 
profess  to  be." 

"  Well,  my  dear,"  said  his  wife,  "  you  know  that  he 
who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  sufifer  perse- 
cution. We  have  only  to  connect  the  present  with  the 
future,  and  commit  our  cause  into  the  hands  of  our 
heavenly  Father,  who  will  eventually  see  to  it  that  full 
justice  is  done  to  all  parties." 

"  I  do  indeed  know  all  that,"  said  her  husband,  "  oth- 
erwise I  should  certainly  sink  under  the  evil  spirit  of 
resentment.  I  sincerely  believe  that  there  is  not  on 
this  earth  such  another  place  for  unblushing  sin  arid  de- 
pravity as  a  regimental  mess-room,  and  often  wish  that 
I  were  well  out  of  it." 

"So  do  I,  my  dear  Robert,"  said  Mrs.  Walters,  with 
vehemence,  "  but  I  do  not  at  present  see  how  that  can 
be  accomplished.  We  are  not  like  any  other  people  I 
know  of.  We  have  neither  of  us  any  place  on  this  wide 
globe  that  we  can  call  our  home  but  this  our  own 
dwelling.  At  least  this  is  the  case  with  me,  for  I  never 
had  a  home — no  place  where  I  could  enjoy  the  dear 
relationship  of  father  or  mother,  brother  or  sister,  and 
this  has  ever  made  me  feel  lonely  and  disconsolate 
indeed." 


'T 


woman's  endurance. 


09 


"  That  is  emphatically  so,  ray  dear,"  responded  her 
husband.  **  In  my  own  case,  too — my  eldest  brother, 
who  inherited  the  family  title  and  entailed  estate,  lias 
been  living  so  extravagantly  that  he  will  soon  be  so  in- 
volved that  it  will  be  utterly  beyond  his  power  to  assist 
me  in  any  way.  Neither  he  nor  I  has  influence  with 
tlie  Government,  we  not  agreeing  in  our  political  views 
with  the  party  in  power  ;  and  so  I  can  look  for  nothing 
from  that  quarter.  And  as  you  say,  then  we  have  no 
place  but  this  our  dwelling,  and  I  have  no  home  but 
with  my  own  loving  wife.  In  fact,  I  have  no  depen- 
dence but  what  arises  from  my  profession,  and  that  is 
doubtless  the  cause  of  my  treatment  by  the  members  of 
the  mess-room — they,  without  exception,  being  very 
wealthy  or  in  expectation  of  being  so  ;  and  to  be  poor 
and  religious,  in  their  estimation,  is  to  be  undeserving 
of  respect.  Although  not  one  of  the  officers  of  the  regi- 
ment is  more  attentive  to  his  duties  than  I  am,  and  have 
always  been,  I  am  overlooked  ;  while  those  who  have 
no  claim  to  it  make  rapid  advancement,  simply  because 
they  have  influential  friends  at  headquarters.  I  have 
no  doubt  that  the  vain  coxcombs  annoy  me  for  some 
supposed  excellence  they  think  I  possess,  and  in  which 
they  feel  themselves  deficient.  Such,  however,  is  poor 
human  nature,  and  I  can  well  aiford  to  pity  them,  and 
do  so  with  all  my  heart.  But  seriously,  my  dear,  I  have 
of  late  had  thoughts  of  selling  out  my  commission  and 
of  leaving  the  army  altogether.  I  have  pictured  to  my- 
self a  way  of  life  that  I  thirk  would  be  far  more  con- 
genial to  my  tastes  and  feelings  ;  but  there  is  one  great 
obstacle  that  stands  in  the  way,  and  at  present  appears 
to  me  insurmountable." 


110 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


li 


"  Well,  my  dear,  what  is  this  way  of  life  ?  Yon  know 
j'our  wife  would  gladly  do  her  part  tc  assist  in  any  way 
that  would  be  congenial  to  the  tastes  and  fi^elings  of 
her  husband,  and  no  one  would  be  more  willing  to  sec- 
ond your  endeavors  to  overcome  an  obstacle  yon  deem 
insurmountable." 

"  My  dear,"  said  her  husband,  with  a  pleasant  smile, 
*'  it  is  this  :  I  am  afraid  that  you  would  not  be  willing 
to  become  a  farmer's  wife." 

"  And,"  said  Mrs.  Walters,  "  has  my  husband  serious 
thoughts  of  becoming  a  farmer  ?" 

"  Indeed  he  has,"  said  the  Captain,  "  and  has  had  for 
some  time  past  ;  but  I  have  been  afraid  of  mentioning 
it  to  you  lest  I  should  bring  you  uneasiness.  But  I 
have  thought  over  this  subject,  and  have  concluded  that 
it  would  be  more  quiet  and  independent  than  the  disa- 
greeable life  I  now  lead." 

"  Well,  well  1  to  tell  you  the  truth,  Robert,"  said  his 
wife,  at  the  same  time  clasping  her  hands  together, 
with  a  hearty  laugh,  "  I,  too,  have  had  the  same  thoughts, 
but  did  not  like  to  mention  them  to  you  for  fear  of  un- 
settling your  mind  ;  but  now  that  the  truth  is  out,  let 
me  tell  you  that  I  shall  prove  one  of  the  best-managing 
and  most  industrious  of  fanners'  wives  you  can  find,  ex- 
cepting, perhaps,  the  New  England  dames.  Let  me 
tell  you  that  I  served  quite  an  apprenticeship  under 
that  very  excellent  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Baldwin,  and  can 
assure  you  that  I  was  more  than  a  casual  observer. 
Indeed,  I  have  often  thought  that  it  was  a  mysterious 
Providence  that  led  me  there,  to  prepare  me  for  a  more 
useful  and  active  life  ;  for  you  know  that  the  whole  of 
my  education   tended  anotlrr  way,  though   I  often  feci 


"^" 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


Ill 


thankful  that  my  heart  was  not  neglected,  while  my 
feet  and  my  fingers,  my  tongue  and  my  brain  were  in- 
structed." 

"  Well,  wife,  this  conversation  is  at  once  new  and  un- 
expected to  each  of  us  ;  and  as  you  have  so  candidly 
spoken  your  mind  on  this  subject,  the  sooner  we  set  to 
work  the  better,  to  place  matters  in  proper  train  for  the 
undertaking." 

"  I  say  amen  with  all  my  heart,  Robert,"  said  Mrs. 
Walters,  "  and  shall  be  highly  pleased  on  your  account, 
for  you  will  then  be  free  from  the  harassing  circum- 
stances which  now  annoy  you." 

From  this  mutual  understanding,  and  perfect  agree- 
ment in  their  sentiments,  it  might  naturally  be  expected 
tliat  there  would  be  unity  of  action  between  them. 
And  it  was  so,  for  whatever  one  proposed  the  other  was 
sure  to  approve.  This  eventful  evening,  that  was  to  be 
the  turning-point  in  their  lives,  was  closed  by  committing 
themselves  and  all  their  plans  to  the  God  and  Father 
wliom  they  served. 

The  following  morning  found  them  more  determined, 
if  possible,  in  their  purpose,  and  more  firmly  fixed  in 
their  resolution.  They  were,  infatuated  with  their  new 
scheme,  and  set  to  work  with  a  right  good-will.  Ex- 
tensive purchases  were  made  of  ;>uitable  material  for 
clothing.  A  selection  was  made  of  domestic  utensils 
proper  for  a  large  and  respectable  farm-house,  and  these 
of  sufficient  variety  and  of  the  best  make  and  material. 
Scarcely  a  day  passed  without  numberless  suggestions 
being  made  as  to  what  would  be  necessary — this  would 
be  so  nice — that  would  be  wanted  for  such  and  such  a 
purpose.     If  there  had  been  at  their  elbows  an  old  dame 


112 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


from  tlie  backwoods — who,  with  her  scanty  supply  of 
household  utensils,  had  been  using  one  and  the  saiiu' 
thing  for  half  a  hundred  different  purposes — her  risihlo 
muscles  would  have  been  brought  into  play  at  this  man- 
ifestation of  extreme  simplicity,  and  at  what  she  would 
have  deemed  sheer  extravagance.  But  they  were  in 
earnest,  and  meant  to  do  as  they  thought  right — often 
saying  that  it  was  to  no  purpose  to  sufler  inconvenience 
when,  by  the  expenditure  of  a  little  money,  it  could  be 
avoided. 

They  had  already  made  choice  of  a  locality  where  they 
intended  to  make  their  future  home.  A  detachment  of 
the  regiment  had  been  sent  with  a  number  of  the  **  Uni- 
ted Empire  Loyalists"  (or,  as  they  were  generally  called, 
U.  E.  L's.)  to  Upper  Canada.  This  party  had  returned 
with  such  glowing  descriptions  of  the  beauties  of  the 
district  o^  country  surrounding  the  Bay  of  Quinte,  as  to 
induce  Captain  Walters  to  select  that  neighborhood  for 
his  intended  residence.  Consequently,  he  had  procured 
a  government  grant  of  one  thousand  acres  of  land,  that 
being  the  allowance  to  an  officer  of  the  British  army 
who  wished  to  make  his  home  in  Canada.  The  distance 
was  upwards  of  three  hundred  miles,  and  at  that  time 
the  roads,  if  that  name  could  be  given  to  tracks  through 
the  woods,  were  of  the  roughest  kind  :  nor  was  there  any 
regular  mode  of  conveyance.  But  these  were  difficul- 
ties that  could,  in  part,  be  surmounted,  for  horses  would 
be  required  on  their  farm,  and  they  might  as  well  pur- 
chase them  in  Lower  Canada,  where,  as  the  Captain  said, 
were  to  be  found  horses  of  the  pure  Normandy  breed. 
He  was  loud  in  his  praises  of  the  Canadian  horses,  ex- 
tolling their  many  excellent  points — their  short  neck, 


Woman's   endurance. 


113 


small  head  and  cars,  keen  clear  biifj^ht  lively  eyes,  (nil 
deej)  chest,  strong  clean  limbs,  and  their  great  endur- 
ance either  in  harness  or  nnder  the  saddle  ;  while  a  very 
important  consideration  in  their  favor  was,  that  they 
coidd  be  kept  in  good  condition  on  very  little  food. 
These  horses  would  take  them  all  the  distance,  and  they 
would  thus  avoid  the  knavery  and  imposition  of  trickish 
teamsters  on  the  road.  And  then  wagons  would  be 
wanted  ;  but  where  to  get  them  was  the  question,  as 
there  was  scarcely  such  a  thing  to  be  found  in  all  Lower 
Canada,  the  French  habitants  all  using  unsightly  and 
primitive-looking  carts.  They  hoped  to  procure  these 
from  some  one  of  the  Americans  who  occasionally 
brought  articles  to  Montreal  for  sale;  and  this  they  did. 

So  intent  were  they  on  their  proposed  undertaking, 
that  it  fully  occupied  their  hands  and  minds  by  day,  and 
very  often  was  the  subject  of  their  dreams  at  night.  In 
a  little  more  than  a  month  all  their  arrangements  were 
completed.  Captain  Walters  had  sold  his  commission 
to  an  aspiring  lieutenant  in  the  regiment,  who  happened 
to  have  the  ready  cash  by  him.  This  of  course  would 
have  to  be  ratified  by  the  authorities  at  home  ;  but  that 
was  a  matter  easily  arranged  under  the  circumstances. 

When  the  time  came  for  Captain  Walters  to  bid  fare- 
well to  the  members  of  the  regimental  mess-room,  there 
appeared  to  be  an  exhibition  of  sincere  regret  on  the 
part  of  a  majority  of  the  oflBcers, — some  of  them  declar- 
ing that,  after  all,  Walters  was  a  fine  fellow,  a,  good 
soldier,  and  a  brave  man.  But  others,  who  were  not 
inclined  to  be  ou  friendly  terms  with  him,  while  appa- 
rently approving  the  compliment,  accompanied  their 
approval  with  a  sinister  smile  ; — "  Yes,  a  pretty  fair 


r 


lEP" 


114 


TIIK     HLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


sort  of  })oy,  if  it  wore  not  for  his  qnoer  notions  of  roli- 
^•ion,  und  liis  sulmiission  to  ])ettic()at  f^overnrnont." 
This  hist  remark  was  nuts  for  tiie  1{(!V.  Mr.  Wilson, 
wlio  was  th(!  same  cold  impassive  being  as  usual,  and 
who  scarcely  deigned  to  return  the  hearty  shake  of  the 
hand,  and  the  cheerful  farewell  of  the  Captain.  He 
merely  said,  in  an  almost  inaudible  tone,  "  Good-by, 
Captain  Walters,"  and  then  sharply  and  abrujitly  turned 
on  his  heel  away.  It  might  have  been  seen  that  Cap- 
tain Walters  observed,  and  indeed  felt  pained  at  this 
indecorous  conduct,  so  utterly  unbecoming  the  sacred 
character  of  the  reverend  gentleman.  But,  although  he 
felt  the  gross  indignity,  his  own  amiable  disposition, 
independent  of  his  Christian  spirit,  led  him  to  look  witli 
compassion  on  the  frailities  of  one  who  ought  to  know 
and  do  better. 

What  most  afflicted  the  Captain  and  his  wife  was, 
parting  from  the  little  loving  company  with  whom  they 
had  so  often  taken  sweet  counsel  ;  but  this  had  to  be 
done,  however  painful  it  might  prove. 

At  lengtli,  on  the  Sabbatli  morning,  with  many  a 
heavy  heart,  sorrowful  countenance,  and  tearful  eye, 
they  met  in  their  little  room  for  the  last  time.  The 
service,  conducted  b}'  brother  Sergeant  Johnson,  in 
his  usual  acceptable  way,  was  solemn  and  impressive, 
appropriate  to  the  occasion.  Such  was  the  feeling  that 
pervaded  the  meeting,  that  the  speaker's  voice  was  fre- 
quently almost  lost  amidst  the  loud  sobs  of  the  sorrow- 
ing company.  After  the  address  of  Sargent  Johnson, 
the  brethren  and  sisters  had  an  opportunity  of  breathing' 
forth  their  aspirations  in  prayer  to  their  God  and  Father 
in  behalf  of  Brother  and  Sister  Walters.     And,  ohl  such 


woman's   endurance. 


115 


piaycrs!  One  who  had  previously  visited  the  Englisli 
cIhucIi,  and  listenetl  to  the  service  as  conducted  hy  tlie 
diaphiin  of  tlie  regiment,  assisted  by  tiie  grand  music 
oil  the  organ,  and  tlien  had  joined  this  little  secluded 
band  of  heavenly-minded  and  ardent  worshippers  of 
God — if  he  had  any  thing  like  spiritual  perceptions,  or 
were  capable  of  appreciating  the  good,  the  lovely,  and 
tlie  holy,  would  have  needed  little  time  to  decide;  in 
which  place  were  the  acceptable  worshippers.  But, 
however  that  may  be,  God  saw  and  listened,  approved, 
blessed,  and  favored  the  meeting  with  his  special  pres- 
ence :  their  hearts  were  indeed  melted  into  union  with 
each  other,  and  with  their  living  Head  ;  while  the  room 
appeared  to  be  filled  with  His  glory. 

Not  the  least  touching  part  of  this  highly  Interesting 
interview,  and  that  which  affected  Cap*"'.i  and  Mrs. 
Walters  personally,  was  the  eagerness  of  all  present  to 
give  some  token  by  which  they  desired  to  be  remem- 
bered. It  migiit  have  caused  a  smile  in  a  disinterested 
spectator  to  have  noticed  how  this  was  carried  out,  and 
tlie  little  trifles  that  were  brought  and  presented.  They 
liad  nothing  greater  or  better  to  give.  Yet  each  was 
received  with  a  lovely  grace  by  Mrs.  Waltere,  and  the 
very  smallest  acknowledged  with  as  much  feeling  as  if 
it  had  been  a  diamond  of  priceless  value.  But  what 
appeared  most  to  touch  the  heart  of  Mrs.  Walters,  was 
a  mother,  neatly  dressed,  and  holding  in  her  arms  a 
lovely  child,  who,  approaching  her  with  great  modesty, 
presented  a  small  paper,  and,  as  distinctly  as  she  was 
able,  through  her  sobs  and  tears,  said  that  there  was  a 
lock  of  hair  she  had  just  cut  from  the  head  of  her  baby, 
for  which  she  had  been  so  kind  as  to  provide  its  first 


116 


THE     BLACK     TIIANTOM;     OR, 


outfit  of  clolliin^'.  Slio  would  htivo  it  riJiiiUMl  aftor  licr, 
8ho  said,  mo  thai  in  future,  uiicu  looking  at  tliat  lock  of 
liair,  k1i(»  would  Im;  reminded  of  her  little  Eliza.  Airs. 
Walters  drew  her  purse  from  her  pocket,  and  wishiiin' 
to  make  it  appear  as  if  only  depositing-  the  j)aper  in  it 
for  safekeeping',  at  the  same  time  took  from  it  a  silver 
crown-piece.  Then,  taking  the  baby  from  its  mother, 
she  slipped  the  piece  into  her  hand,  and  tenderly  kissing 
the  little  beauty,  returned  it  to  its  mother,  with  the  most 
earnest  injunctions  to  bring  it  up  for  God.  Thus,  after 
many  a  ])r()mise  given,  and  many  a  wish  expressed  to 
meet  each  other  in  heaven,  the  parting  moment  at 
length  arrived. 

After  the  above  trying  scene  was  over — when  every 
tie  that  had  held  them  in  Montreal  seemed  to  be  broken, 
and,  like  a  vessel  loosened  from  its  moorings,  they  were 
about  to  drift  away  upon  the  wide  world — they  appeared 
to  act  with  greater  freedom  in  making  their  prepara- 
tions for  their  long  and  perilous  journey.  The  spirits 
of  Captain  Walters  were  buoyant  and  hopeful,  for  he 
felt  that  he  was  now  freed  from  the  traiimels  of  mili- 
tary espionage.  He  felt  that  he  was  now  on  the  high 
road  to  independence,  peace,  and  comfort.  He  was 
going  to  occupy  a  farm  of  a  thousand  acres,  wheic  i  e 
would  have  a  chance  of  sliaping  his  fortunes — where  he 
would  stand  high  among  his  neighbors,  and  be  at  liberty 
to  select  his  friends  and  acquaintance. 


1^ 


WOMANS    KNDURANCE. 


n: 


CHAPTER    XI. 


The  morning  of  thoiv  departure  at  len<jftli  arrived,  and 
it  nuiy  not  be  aniisa  lo  take  a  glance  at  tlie  external 
appearance  of  things.  We  nay  external,  for  we  will  not 
attempt  an  enumeration  of  the  boxes,  trunks,  and  piu'k- 
agcK,  and  their  contents. 

In  the  first  place,  we  may  mention  the  two  heavy, 
strongly-built  wagons,  with  the  best  of  canvas  covers  to 
secure  their  contents  from  the  weather,  and  to  serve  as 
shelters  cither  by  day  or  night.  These  wagons,  loaded 
to  their  utmost  capacity,  were  each  to  be  drawn  by 
four  choice  Canadian  horses  ;  and  we  must  say  that 
Captain  Walters  had  exhibited  good  taste  and  sound 
judgment  in  their  selection.  One  team  was  composed 
of  four  blacks,  and  the  other  of  four  beautiful  browns. 
We  must  not  forget  to  mention  that,  as  the  Captain 
often  prided  himself  on  havhig  been  in  his  younger  days 
a  crack  English  sportsman,  he  had  provided  himself 
with  four  high-bred  sporting-dogs — two  fine  hounds  and 
two  spaniels  :  these,  with  his  trusty  and  favorite  Man- 
ton,  were  deemed  essential  to  the  outfit  of  a  gentleman 
farmer,  and  might  assist  to  while  away  his  leisure 
liours.  The  Captain  had  also  an  eye  to  his  future  want 
nf  laborers  on  his  farm.  There  happened  to  be  two 
men  in  his  Company  who  had  been  born  iind  brought 
up  in  a  rural  district  in   England,  and  who  had  from 


I'p 


...  m 

1 1  itii 


MS 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    UK, 


II 


ciu'ly  cliildliood  bocii  acquainted  with  tiio  ruiitino  and 
toil  of  fanii-labor.  The  name  of  one  was  Joseph  Brown, 
that  (jf  the  other  William  Jones.  The  education  of  these 
men  had  been  neglected  in  their  youth,  for  they  had  not 
been  a  single  day  at  school  ;  and  had  never  been  within 
a  church  or  chapel  in  their  native  land,  before  they 
were  marched  there  according  to  the  regulations  of  the 
British  army.  There  had  been  a  great  sameness  in 
their  modes  of  life,  but  there  was  a  difference  in  their 
ages  at  the  time  they  now  come  under  our  notice. 
Brown  was  about  thirty-eight — Jones  was  eight  ycar.s 
younger  ;  both  were  strong  and  firmly-built  men,  of 
exuberant  spirits,  and  in  fine  health.  They  had  been 
for  some  years  humble  and  consistent  members  of  the 
little  Christian  society  that  had  been  formed  in  the  regi- 
ment. And  although  at  their  first  union  with  that  small 
Company  neither  of  them  was  able  to  distinguish  one 
letter  of  the  alphal^et  from  another,  yet,  by  very  close 
and  patient  study,  Jones  had  become  able  to  read  the 
Testament,  as  well  as  the  hymn-book.  Brown  was  not 
quite  so  proficient  a  scholar,  and  had  t(j  spell  many 
words,  and  skip  others,  that  were  be^^ond  his  comprehen- 
sion. Both  had  charmincf  voices,  and  had  been  noted 
from  tlieir  boyhood  for  singing  the  love-ditties  of  their 
native  land. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  these  men  were  but  too  true 
a  type  of  a  large  class  from  the  same  grade  of  society 
in  the  country  that  gave  them  birth  ;  but  where  the 
fault  of  their  ignorance  lay  we  are  not  going  now  to 
investigate.  Our  purpose  now  is  not  so  much  with  their 
antecedents  as  with  their  present  personal  history.  Cap- 
tain Walters  had  proposed  to  them  t(»  purchase  their 


W  O  M  A  .\    S    E  N  DURANCE 


Hi) 


(lisclii.ir<^o  from  the  British  wervicc,  if  thoy  were  willing- 
to  accompany  him  as  assistants  and  hiborers  on  his 
farm.  The  subject  was  no  sooner  broached  than  it  was 
acceded  to  by  them,  with  protestations  of  ever  being 
faitliful  to  his  will  and  wishes. 

These  men  had  wives,  and  we  must  not  pass  them  by 
witliont  notice,  for  each  was  quite  a  character  in  her 
own  way.  Mrs.  Brown,  as  is  often  the  case,  was  more 
liighly  gifted  than  her  iuisband.  She  was  keen,  pru- 
dent, circumspect,  and  withal  remarkably  neat  in  her 
person,  highly  industrious,  always  on  goods  terms  with 
herscdf  and  every  one  else,  generally  with  a  good-natured 
smile  on  her  fine  open  countenance,  and  of  a  really  gen- 
erous disposition.  Slu;  had  always  a  good  word  for 
everybody,  save  one  who  intenti(jnally  insulted  her,  or 
(lid  her  some  serious  injury,  in  Vkdiich  case  her  keen 
and  cutting  sarcasm  made  th(jm  cautious  in  their  future 
intercourse  with  her.  She  restrained  the  rude  or  un- 
inamierly  ;  but  inspired  with  respect  those  who  could 
appreciate  proper  womanly  independence.  Siie  had 
made  and  saved  a  considerable  sum  of  money  by  wash- 
ing and  mending  for  the  men  of  the  Company.  Pru- 
dent in  her  general  management,  she  could  make  a  little 
money  go  a  great  way.  A  favorite  with  the  whole  regi- 
ment, she  was  spoken  well  of  by  all,  and  highly  es- 
teemed by  Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters.  Mrs.  Brown 
had  a  remarkably  intelligent  boy,  six  or  seven  years 
of  age  at  the  time  his  parents  started  with  Captain 
Walters. 

Mrs.  Jones  was  a  person  of  but  few  words,  very  pious 
in  her  way,  and  apparently  st.)  in  her  own  estimation. 
She  could  not  see  how  some  people's  consciences  allowed 


120 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


them  to  talk  so  freely,  or  to  be  so  loose  in  tlioir  conduct 
before  others.  She  was  apt  to  form  a  too  rigid  opinion 
of  persons  and  their  actions,  and  thus  to  the  most  trivial 
word  or  act,  was  often  given  an  undue  importance 
Judging,  or  rather  misjudging  others,  she  became  fret- 
ful, peevish,  and  irritsible  in  temper.  Always  disquiet- 
ing herself  about  trifles,  she  was  unfitted  to  form  friend- 
ships ;  consecjucntly  she  was  destined  to  travel  througii 
life  solitary  and  sad.  But  notwithstanding  all  this,  she 
was  ever  honest  in  purpose,  trustworthy  in  her  dealings, 
and  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  pure-minded.  She  was 
fully  aware  of  her  imfirmities — of  the  unevenness  of  her 
temper — and  would  often  speak  of  them  with  sorrow 
and  contrition  of  spirit.  Mrs.  Jones  had  a  daughter  of 
about  five  years  of  age,  very  pretty,  and  very  shrewd 
and  intelligent  for  her  j^ears. 

There  was  another  individual  cotmected  with  the  es- 
tablishment of  Captain  Walters,  that  we  must  not  over- 
look on  any  account,  as  he  is  destined  to  occupy  a  prom- 
inent and  highly  important  part  in  our  narrative.  This  is 
Jean  Baptiste,  a  French  Canadian — a  kind  of  shrivelled  up 
little  fellow,  nimble  as  a  squirrel  and  merry  as  a  cricket. 
He  could  not  speak  English  fluently  ;  but  that  was  not 
of  much  consequence,  as  both  Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters 
spoke  French  with  facility.  Baptiste  was  a  kind  of 
necessity,  as  nijt  one  of  the  eight  horses  could  under- 
stand an  English  keeper  ;  but  he  could  address  them  in 
a  way  they  had  been  used  to.  It  appeared  to  be  his 
greatest  delight  to  be  stroking  them,  patting  them,  talk- 
ing and  singing  to  them  ;  and  they  appeared  fully  to 
appreciate  all  this,  as  there  seemed  to  be  a  perfect  un- 
derstanding between  them  and  him.     And  it  is  not  re- 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


121 


markable  that  they  wore  most  obedient  and  docile  when 
he  had  the  command  of"  them. 

Tims,  we  find  that  on  the  morning  of  their  departure 
IVoia  Montreal,  this  company  was  composed  of  nine  poi- 
sons— Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown, 
and  little  boy  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones,  and  little  girl  ;  with 
our  little  friend,  the  facetious  Jean  Baptiste,  All  were 
astir  at  early  dawn,  with  an  outfit  t(j  meet  all  present 
or  future,  real  or  supposed  wants,  so  far  as  human  pru- 
dence and  foresight  could  devise.  As  they  were  not 
(^-oing  through  a  sandy,  arid  desert,  where  no  water  was 
to  be  found,  but  emphatically  a  land  of  large  rivers  and 
streams,  they  had  no  need  to  carry  that  essential  beve- 
rage with  them. 

It  was  a  morning  in  early  spring,  if  that  tvA'm  is  at  all 
a[)plicable  to  Lower  Canada,  where  there  are  only  two 
seasons  in  the  year,  winter  and  summer — seven  months 
of  tile  former  and  five  of  tiie  latter  ;  for  so  sudden  is  the 
transition  from  winter  to  sunnner,  that,  when  the  frost 
breaks  up,  the  extreme  heat  of  the  sun  soon  melts  the 
snow,  however  abundant  it  may  be.  Tiie  farmer  may 
tlien  pursue  his  labor,  plough  his  land  and  deposit  his 
seed  ;  for  the  frost  never  penetrates  the  ground  as  in 
niilder  regions,  having  been  protected  by  its  covering 
of  snow. 

Tims — on  this  beautiful  morning,  with  a  bright  sun 
and  a  balmy  atmosphere,  all  nature  smiling,  as  il'  exult- 
ant at  its  liberation  from  the  iron  bands  of  winter  that 
had  held  it  u\  their  rigid  grasp — all  things  were  ready 
lor  the  word  of  command  to  start,  each  being  at  his  post 
with  true  military  precision.  The  Captain  considering 
himself  entitled  to  the  post  of  honor,  takes  the  lines  of 


122 


THE     13  LACK    r  II  AN  TOM;    OR, 


tlic  first  toam,  with  lirowii  on  the  scat,  at  his  left  hand. 
The  little  FnMichmun,  J(,'an  Baptiste,  accorclinjjr  to  the 
aln-ady  arrangcHl  plan,  took  the  control  of  the  otlicr 
team,  with  Jones  beside  him.  Tiie  women  and  chihlreii 
were  comfortably  seated  ir  the  first  wagon,  under  the 
shelter  of  the  canvas  cover. 

The  word  given,  with  a  sharp  crack  of  the  whip, 
and  the  noble  teams,  with  their  heavily  laden  wagons, 
are  on  their  route.  Wending  their  way  along  the  im- 
paved  and  muddy  Notre  Dame  street,  they  were  soon 
be3'^()nd  the  city  limits,  and  outside  the  ramparts,  which 
at  that  time  were  near  where  McGill  street  now  runs. 

Our  trav(?llers  were  no  sooner  beyond  the  ramparts, 
than  tiiey  had  an  intimation  of  the  character  of  the  roads 
over  which  they  would  b(!  compelled  to  drag  their  loads. 
Tiujy  took  what  lyis  of  late  years  been  called  the  lower 
road  to  La  Chine,  and  found  it  low  enough  and  bud 
enough  in  all  conscience  ;  for  the  French  Canadians, 
from  their  first  occuparicy  of  Lower  Canada,  have  bet'ii 
utterly  regardless  of  any  thing  like  public  improve- 
ments. Nothing  more  clearly  exhibits  the  absence  of 
thrift,  than  the  wretched  state  of  their  public  highways. 

The  progress  made  by  the  subjects  of  our  narrative 
may  be  judged  of  from  the  fact  that,  early  in  the  morn- 
hig  as  it  was  when  they  left  Montreal,  it  was  late  at 
night  before  they  accomplished  the  first  nine  miles  to 
La  Chine,  Bad  as  the  whole  of  the  road  had  been  found, 
one  or  two  places  were  especially  trying  to  their  temper, 
and  had  made  pretty  strong  demands  on  their  patience, 
and  put  the  strength  of  the  horses  to  a  severe  test. 

We  have  already  stated  that  Captain  Walters  took 
the  connnand  of  the  leading  team.     Whether  in  this  case 


woman's  endukance. 


123 


TOUS, 
3    UH- 

soou 

iTlS. 

parts, 

roads 

loadn. 

lower 

1   bud 

diaiis, 
been 
trovc- 
icc  nf 
ways, 
rative 
moi'u- 
,te  at 
les  to 
*()uud, 

•inpei", 
icuce, 

took 
Is  case 


it  was  roally  the  badness  of  the  road,  or  a  want  of  skill 
in  tlic  driv(3r,  wc  will  not  say  ;  but  so  it  happened,  tliat, 
as  he  was  driving  thrcjug'h  a  swampy  spot,  the  wheels 
suddenly  sank  down  to  the  hubs,  and  there  he  was  held 
fast.  He  employed  the  whip  and  his  voice,  but  to  no 
purpose.  He  turned  his  horses  to  the  right,  then  to  the 
left ;  but  every  movement  only  made  matters  still  worse, 
as  it  caused  the  wheels  to  settle  more  deeply  in  tlje 
mud.  In  his  exertion,  it  was  evident  that  he  was  suffer- 
ing extreme  agony  from  his  wounds. 

When  things  had  arrived  at  this  state,  Baptiste,  de- 
scending from  his  own  seat,  went  forward  to  make  a 
personal  inspection  ;  and  when  he  fully  comprehended 
tlie  nature  of  the  case,  giving  a  peculiar  shrug  of  the 
shoulders,  he  for  a  fev?-  monKmts  apparently  pondenjd 
what  was  best  to  be  done.  Then  starting  back  to  his 
own  team,  and  loosing  them  from  the  wagon,  he  brought 
them  to  the  front,  hitched  them  on  to  the  end  of  the 
wagon-pole  with  a  long  stout  chain,  and  then  stepped 
back  a  little,  when  the  eight  hors(;s,  in  prompt  obedi- 
ence to  a  gentle  word  from  him,  laid  their  shoulders  to 
the  work  :  the  trace-chains  began  to  creak,  and  the 
heavily  laden  wagon  was  moved  gently  from  its  position. 
Wiien  the  wagon  was  drawn  a  little  distance  and  placed 
on  firmer  ground,  Baptiste  detached  his  horses,  and  the 
iv'spective  teams  took  up  their  line  of  march,  Baptiste 
avoiding  tlie  faulty  spot  tliat  had  proved  a  trap  to  the 
Captain. 

If  the  mind  of  Captain  Walters,  at  liiat  moment,  had 
been  capable  of  calm  reflection,  he  might  liave  come  to 
tile  conclusion  that  some  persons  are  not  altogetlier 
rpialified  to  take  the  lead  and  command  und(u-  all  cir- 


124 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


cumataiices  ;  but  it  sometimes  requires  very  severe; 
practical  lessons  to  teach  such  people,  and  it  no  less 
needs  a  capacity  and  disposition  in  the  pupil  to  read  the 
lesson.  It  was  so  in  the  pnjsent  case,  for  they  had  not 
proceeded  far  when  a  similar,  if  not  worse,  disaster  be- 
fell then).  They  came  to  a  spot  of  swampy  ground, 
where  the  tangled  roots  of  trees  lay  athwart  the  track, 
and  between  the  ribbed  elevations  of  which  there  were 
deep  cavities.  When  the  wheels  got  wedged  in  one  of 
these  places,  neither  man  nor  horse  was  able  to  move 
them.  In  such  a  case  it  required  the  skill  of  the  prac- 
tical Canadian  teamster  to  extricate  them.  Approaching 
a  locality  where  were  two  roads,  one  a  little  divergent 
to  the  right  hand,  but  uniting  again  a  little  distance 
ahead,  it  happened  that  the-  Captain  took  the  one  that 
proved  to  be  the  worst  of  the  two.  As  he  got  to  about 
the  middle  of  the  worst  part  of  tiie  swamp,  down  went 
tlie  fore-wheels  between  two  large  rib-like  roots,  where 
they  remained,  utterly  beyond  the  power  of  the  horses 
to  remove  them.  Tlie  wagon  going  down  with  great 
force  and  a  sudden  jar,  it  so  frightened  the  women  and 
children  that  they  screamed  aloud  ;  while  the  Captain 
suffered  excruciating  pain  from  his  wounds,  especially 
the  one  in  his  shoulder.  This  time  the  Captain  was  un- 
able, and  made  no  effort  to  extricate  the  wagon,  but 
motioned  to  Baptiste  to  come  f{»rward.  The  latter,  seo- 
ine:  the  serious  state  of  the  case  raised  his  hands  in 
l>ewilderment,  with  the  exclamation,  "  Man  Dieu ,'" 
Brown  and  Jones  were  as  much  at  a  loss  as  two  chil- 
dren could  have  been  ;  while  the  Captain  was  still  moro 
80,  quite  unable  to  give  any  useful  or  rational  advice 
or  directions.    Not  so,  however,  with  Baptiste  who,  after 


■9P 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


125 


liis  momentary  surprise,  went  straig-lit  to  liis  tool-box, 
wliicli  was  secured  eonv(;ni(3ntly  und(!r  tlic  body  of  the 
wagon,  from  wliicli  Ik;  took  liis  axe,  and  g'oinjj^  a  little 
way  into  the  bush,  sehseted  a  younj^-  hiekory-tree  about 
six  inches  in  diameter,  which  he  soon  cut  down  and 
Ibrmed  into  a  lever.  Collecting"  a  number  of  large  stones 
to  form  a  fulcrum,  he  set  the  (jther  two  men  to  work  to 
carry  them  close  to  the  wagon.  Then,  by  a  skilful  ap- 
pliance of  his  lever  and  fulcrum — with  the  main  strength 
of  the  men,  and  indeed  of  the  women  too — the  wagon 
was  raised  a  little  at  a  time,  and  stones  and  piec(;s  of 
wood  introduced  under  the  wheels,  to  retain  them  in  their 
position. 

Captain  Walters  now  found,  by  bitter  exp(!rience, 
that  his  strength  was  not  equal  to  the  severe  labor  de- 
manded of  him.  Thanks  to  the  superior  practical  skill 
of  little  Baptiste,  they  were  finally  relieved  from  their 
disagreeable  difficulty  ;  and,  after  some  hours  of  hjst 
time,  and  with  exhausted  strength,  they  proc(!eded  on 
their  way.  At  nearly  the  close  of  this  eventful  day 
they  accomplished  the  first  nine  miles  of  their  journey. 

Wearied  in  body  and  mind,  it  was  with  no  small  de- 
gree of  pleasure  they  drove  up  to  the  front  of  the  small 
log-cabin  dignified  by  the  name  of  tavern.  To  their 
surprise  and  disappointment,  however,  they  found  that 
the  only  accommodations  this  place  allbrded  for  their 
horses  was  an  open  shed  by  the  roadside  :  as  for  thcim- 
st'lves,  they  spread  their  own  blaidvets  and  covers  on 
the  fioor  of  the  cabin,  and  there  sle|)t  as  they  best 
could, — the  men  turning  in  with  the  horses  in  the  op(!U 
shed.  But,  poor  and  forbidding  as  these  acconujioda- 
tions  were,  a  keen  appetite  gave  '-elish  to  their  supper 


¥ 


126 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


li 


and  their  weary  limbs  brought  refreshmout  to  body  and 
spirit  ill  !i  profound  sleep. 

We  have  here  a  pretty  fair  specimen  of  the  toils, 
mishaps,  and  inconveniences  to  which  travellers  were 
subjected  a  little  more  than  half  a  century  ago  in  Lower 
Canada. 

The  next  morning  the  sun  rose  brilliant  as  ever,  and 
our  travellers  were  astir  to  take  advantage  of  the  cool 
hours  of  early  day.  After  attending  to  the  feeding  of 
their  horses  and  their  own  requirements  in  that  line, 
our  travellers  were  soon  pursuing  their  journey  along 
the  margin  of  the  noble  River  St.  Lawrence.  Here 
they  were  especially  impressed  with  the  view  of  the 
beauty  and  grandeur  of  the  landscape, — the  mountain 
away  in  the  distance  on  the  rfght  hand,  and  on  the  left 
the  river  widening  into  an  expansive  lake  studded  with 
islands  covered  with  a  luxuriant  and  varied  foliage. 
And  then,  all  nature  in  her  dress  of  vivid  green,  tlie 
varied  forms  of  hill  and  dale,  land  and  water,  presented 
a  scene  of  pictures(iue  beauty  but  rarely  equalled. 
Turning  their  attention  to  the  implements  and  agricul- 
tural appliances  of  the  habitants,  they  found  them  of  tlie 
rudest  construction  and  most  simple  forms.  The  plough 
was  of  a  most  primitive  cast,  merely  the  crotch  of  a 
tree  with  a  sharpened  point  to  serve  as  coulter,  and 
drawn  by  a  poor,  scraggy,  under-sized  horse,  yoked  with 
a  milch-cow,  with  hip-bones  ready  to  start  through  its 
skin, — and  these  just  moving  at  a  snail's  pace. 

Our  travellers  at  length  arrived  at  a  place  some  miles 
north  of  La  Chine,  where  a  French  Canadian  resided 
who  made  a  scanty  subsistence  by  ferrying  people  and 
their  vehicles  over  the  river.     The  conveyance  was  by 


woman's  endurance. 


127 


large  llat-boats,  or  batteaux,  as  tlicy  were  ji^encrally 
called,  on  to  which  the  horses  and  loaded  wag'ons  were 
driven,  and  then  plied  across  the  broad  stream  with  oars. 
As  there  were  but  two  of  these  boats,  and  one  of  tlu-ui 
happened  to  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  at  the 
time,  which  is  several  miles  wide  at  this  place,  the 
man  in  charge  had  to  hoist  a  signal  for  the  other  boat 
to  come  over,  as  the  two  wagons  and  eight  horses  would 
have  been  an  overload  for  one.  Though  this  slow  move- 
ment occupied  considerable  time,  it  had  to  be  submitted 
to  as  one  of  the  ordinary  annoyances  of  those  days. 

While  thus  waiting  for  the  boat  to  come  from  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters  had 
leisure  lo  take  a  stroll  a  little  way  along  the  bank  of 
tlie  river,  and  to  contemplate  the  unsurpassed  grandeur 
of  the  scenery  presented  to  their  view  at  this  place. 
We  mention  these  two,  as  they  were  the  only  persons 
in  the  company  who  had  an  eye  for  the  beautiful  and 
sublime  in  nature.  The  two  children  were  especially 
tlolighted,  and  exhibited  their  pleasure  in  frolics  and 
gambols,  and  by  forming  fragrant  and  beautiful  nose- 
gays from  the  profusion  of  wild-flowers  growing  around. 
After  waiting  for  some  considerable  time,  the  boat  ar- 
rived :  the  teams  were  driven  on  board,  and  oti'  they 
started  ;  but  slowly  they  moved  over  the  turbid  waters 
of  the  Ottawa,  for  it  is  at  this  point  the  confluence  of  the 
two  rivers,  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Ottawa,  takes 
place.  A  great  curiosity  is  here  presented  in  the  clearly- 
deliued  line  that  marks  the  first  contact  of  the  two 
streams,  and  which  is  continued  for  a  number  of  miles. 
It  is  not,  however,  our  object  to  point  out  the  curiosities 
or  to  contemplate  the  beauties  of  nature,  as  we  have 


¥' 


128 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


otlier  things  in  view  wliich  claim  our  more  spociiil 
{itt(!nti()n.  Tlio  voyage  across  the  river  in  the  unwieldy 
craft,  iVoin  its  feeble  power  of  propulsion,  was  one  of 
excessive  lassitu<le,  from  the  absence  of  any  thing  like 
excitement  and  the  seemingly  long  time  it  occupied. 
On  their  arrival  upon  the  other  side,  the  day  was  far 
spent ;  but,  as  the  horses  were  comparatively  fresh  from 
the  long  rest  they  had  had,  they  determined  to  make  the 
most  of  the  remainder  of  the  daylight.  Tlie-i  they  had 
a  tolerably  good  road  on  the  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
with  the  grand  cascade  rapids  on  their  left  hand. 

It  would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  describe  these 
rapids,  with  their  boiling,  tossing,  tumbling,  foaming 
waters  :  all  mere  word-painting  would  be  tame  and 
meaningless.  It  was  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
under  the  shade  of  a  luxuriant  grove,  that  they  made  up 
their  minds  to  take  their  rest  for  the  night.  Under  the 
general  guidance  and  instructions  of  Baptiste,  the  other 
two  men  attended  to  the  horses,  while  the  women  were 
directed  in  all  the  camping  arrangements  and  the  cook- 
ing of  their  evening  meal  ;  after  partaking  of  which, 
they  were  hushed  to  sleep  by  the  lullaby  of  the  dashing 
and  foaming  waters  of  the  rapids.  It  was  well  for  them 
that  they  had-  so  alert  and  diligent  a  person  in  their 
company  as  Baptiste.  By  his  directions  Brown  and  Jones 
collected  a  large  quantity  of  dry  wood,  and  placed  it  in 
piles,  at  equal  distances,  in  a  circle  around  their  camp. 
A  little  while  after  sunset  these  piles  of  wood  were 
lighted  up,  as  a  protection  against  the  approach  of 
wolves, — of  whose  presence  they  were  soon  made  aware 
by  their  continual  howl  all  through  the  night,  attracted, 
no  doubt,  by  the  smell  of  the  evening  meal.     And  it 


woman's  endukance. 


129 


proved  a  very  fortunate  circumstance  for  Captain  Wal- 
ters that  he  had  two  such  trusty  men  as  Brown  and 
Jones.  Tfiey  had  been  so  long  in  the  army,  und  so  us(,'d 
to  obeying  orders,  that  it  was  only  recjuired  to  indicate 
liis  wish  to  have  it  fulfilled  without  a  murmur.  Owing 
to  the  comparative  absence  of  excitement  on  the  past 
day,  and  the  sound  sleep  he  had  enjoyed  through  the 
night,  and  the  ever-watchful  care  of  Mrs.  Walters, 
the  Captain  appeared  greatly  invigorated  the  next  morn- 
ing. So,  after  a  hearty  breakfast,  the  horses  were  har- 
iiesscid  up,  and  our  travellers  were  again  soon  dashing 
along  at  a  lively  pace,  making  the  best  of  their  time  on 
a  good  hard  road.  This  smart  pace  was  continued  until 
noon,  when  our  company  came  to  a  favorable  spot,  under 
the  shade  of  a  few  stately  elm-trees,  where  they  could 
rest  and  feed  their  horses,  as  well  as  take  their  own  re- 
freshment. While  these  things  were  being  attended  to, 
their  attention  was  directed  to  the  approach  of  a  better 
kind  of  vehicle,  drawn  by  a  very  handsome  pair  of 
dappled-gray  horses.  As  these  came  near,  the  driver 
slackened  his  pace  until,  as  he  passed,  it  was  reduced 
to  a  very  slow  walk,  which  gave  the  female  who  was 
inside  an  opportunity  to  scrutinize  the  party  with  in- 
tense steadiness.  When  the  captain  and  his  wife  saw 
that  the  female  manifested  an  inclination  to  speak  to 
them,  they  arose  and  saluted  her  gracefully.  They  were 
about  to  invite  her  to  alight  and  partake  of  their  hos- 
pitality, as  there  was  no  place  of  refreshment  within 
many  miles,  when  the  driver  made  an  abrupt  start  and 
left  them  with  the  words  of  invitation  u})on  their  lips, 
and  with  impressions  upon  their  minds  not  at  all  favor- 
able to  the  good  manners  of  the  fair  stranger.     Recov- 

6* 


r 


Hf 


130 


THE    BLACK    phantom;    OR, 


11 


ercd  somewhat  from  tlio  pcrturbatiou  of  mind  occasicmed 
by  thia  incident,  Mrs.  Walters  said  to  her  husband — 

"  Why,  Kobc^rt,  I  surely  have  seen  those  liorses  be- 
fore 1" 

*'  Why,  yes,"  said  the  captain,  "  I  oug-ht  to  know 
them,  for  1  have  frequently  seen  them  in  Montreal," 
Then,  showing  a  little  of  wounded  dignity,  he  said  : 
"  And  there  is  one  other  thing  I  am  sure  of — that  the 
person  in  the  carriage  is  not  a  lady,  for  the  least  she 
could  have  done  would  have  becii  to  return  our  salute." 

After  this  little  adventure,  the  frugal  meal  finislied, 
they  were  soon  again  wending  their  way  on  their  west- 
ern track.  Our  travellers  were  now  getting  into  apart 
of  the  country  where  the  appearances  of  even  the  rude 
civilization  of  Lower  Canada  were  less  frequently  met 
with.  The  uninvad(;d  forest  was  vast,  gloomy,  silent, 
and,  except  at  night,  solitary,  when  it  was  vocal  with 
hideous  and  discordant  sounds.  The  day  had  again 
closed,  like  the  previous  one,  with  little  or  nothing  to 
mar  the  equanimity  of  the  minds  of  the  entire  party. 

Little  Baptiste  appeared  to  be  in  his  glory  while  giv- 
ing to  his  subordinates,  in  his  brokw?:  English,  general 
orders  for  the  night ;  for  he  was  nvw  the  tacitly  ac- 
knowledg(?d  commander-in-chief  of  the  entire  party. 
After  setting  all  things  in  order,  he  brought  out  his 
violin,  on  which  he  was  no  mean  performer,  and  great 
was  the  delight  of  the  whole  company  wlien  he  awoke 
the  echoes  of  the  neighboring  woods  by  his  enlivening 
strains.  Still  sweeter,  however,  in  their  estimation,  it 
was,  and  more  in  accordance  witli  the  higher  aspirations 
of  their  grateful  hearts,  when  Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters, 
accompanied   by  all  present,  and   by  Baptiste  with  his 


woman's  endurance. 


131 


ters, 


violin,  fltruck  up  tlioir  evcMiing'  liyrini.  The  isiniplt!  was 
raised  to  the  sublime  in  this  chuiitin<jj,  in  tliose  solitary 
woods,  of  one  of  the  sweet  song's  of  /ion.  So,  with  calm 
spirits  and  resigned  wills,  after  setting  tlieir  watch  and 
making  other  necessary  arrangements  for  tln^  I'ir^^'t- 
tiiey  retired  to  rest.  They  were  awakened,  however,  a 
little  after  midnight,  in  the  greatest  tre[)idation  of  mind, 
by  heavy  thunder,  accompanied  by  vivid  flashes  of  light- 
ning that  illumined  the  entire  forest  around  them  with  a 
lurid  glare,  and  then  for  a  moment  involved  them  in  a 
tenfold  deeper  darkness  than  before.  In  the  crasiiing  of 
the  thunder,  it  appeared  as  if  hu'idreds  of  wolves  around 
them  set  up  a  hideous  howl.  The  dogs  were  whining", 
the  horses  making  efforts  to  break  their  tethers,  the 
children  screaming,  the  womc^n  frantic  with  fear,  and 
even  the  hearts  of  the  men  failing  them  in  utter  conster- 
nation. From  that  time  until  light  broke  in  the  morn- 
ing they  were  deluged  with  rain,  and  terrified  by  loud 
thunder  and  occasional  flashes  of  lightning. 

What  were  their  feelings  of  thankfulness,  however, 
when  they  came  to  see  in  the  morning  the  very  narrow 
escape  they  had  made  with  their  lives  !  Within  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  place  where  they  had  encamped  for 
the  night  lay  the  remains  of  a  huge  oak,  one  of  the  mou- 
archs  of  the  forest,  which  had  been  so  shivered  that  the 
fibres  of  its  trunk  were  separatcid  like  the  untwisted  and 
open  strands  of  a  thick  rope.  It  had  been  struck  by  the 
electric  fluid,  a  circumstance  of  not  rare  occurrence  in 
the  forests  of  North  America. 

Notwithstanding  the  severe  trials  of  the  nighx,  the 
sun  rose  in  the  morning  with  a  bright  and  smiling  face, 
as  though  nothing  untoward  had  happened.      The  at 


f 


■r^H^-w-w^ 


132 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM;    OR, 


11    ' 


mosphc  \3  was  relieved  of  its  oppressiveness,  and  all 
nature  seemed  refreshed  with  the  copious  shower  of 
rain  that  had  fallen.  The  spirits  of  the  company,  too, 
partook  of  the  general  hilarity. 

At  an  early  hour  man  and  horse  were  ready  to  resume 
their  journey,  but  from  the  wet  state  of  the  ground  little 
l)rogress  could  be  made,  as  the  wheels  sunk  deep  into 
the  saturated  soil  ;  and  they  had  little  choice  of  road, 
as,  away  on  their  right  hand  lay  an  extended  cedar 
swamp,  and  on  their  left  the  margin  of  the  river.  Thus 
they  had  to  travel  for  some  miles  along  a  kind  of  natural 
mound  raised  between  the  two.  Owing  to  the  very 
copious  rain  the  past  night,  this  cedar  swamp,  a  recep- 
tacle for  the  water  from  the  adjacent  district,  was  con- 
siderably overflown  ;  and  as  there  was  only  one  outlet 
for  the  water,  and  that  ran  across  a  low  place  in  the 
mound  on  which  our  company  were  driving,  it  presented 
a  very  serious  obstacle  to  their  further  progress.  True, 
some  attempt  had  been  made  to  form  a  kind  of  bridge 
across  this  gulch,  by  spanning  it  with  the  trunks  of  two 
trees,  and  then  laying  across  these  a  number  of  round 
logs,  so  as  to  fill  up  the  space  from  bank  to  bank,  and 
then  tying  the  ends  with  strong  withs  to  hold  them  in 
their  place.  But  it  so  happened  that  these  logs  were 
afloat  at  this  time,  owing  to  the  high  state  of  the  water, 
so  that  there  was  no  firm  footing  either  for  man  or 
horse,  let  alone  taking  two  such  heavily-loaded  wagons 
over. 

Here  was  a  dilemma.  There  was  no  choice  of  roads, 
and  no  room  to  turn  back,  as  the  mound  was  too  narrow 
for  the  long-geared  wagons.  Therefore  they  must  either 
find  out  some  method  to  pass  over  this  gulch,  or  wait 


Bl 


woman's  endurance. 


133 


some  days  for  the  water  in  the  swamp  to  subside. 
When  the  two  men  aud  the  Captain  fully  realized  the 
state  of  things,  and  the  apparently  inextricable  position 
ill  which  they  wre  placed,  they  looked  at  each  other  with 
lihink  dismay.  They  looked  this  way  and  that,  back- 
ward and  forward.  One  suggested  to  swim  the  horses 
over  ;  another,  to  lay  a  narrow  path  over  in  some  way, 
aud  the  party  each  to  carry  a  package,  trunk,  or  box 
across  upon  their  shoulders  :  with  many  other  schemes 
equally  impracticable.  In  this  dilemma,  fortunately  for 
the  party,  Baptiste  was  again  at  hand.  Wielded  by 
him,  who  descended  down  to  the  edge  of  th.e  swamp, 
the  ready  axe,  with  nimble  and  effective  stroke,  soon 
brought  down  tree  after  tree.  These,  being  divested  of 
their  branches  and  cut  into  proper  lengths,  were  carried 
hy  the  other  men  to  the  bridge,  and  laid  on  to  the  logs 
already  there,  until  their  added  weight  gave  it  solidity, 
and  raised  it  above  the  level  of  the  water.  Thus  at 
length  the  whole  party,  by  the  skill  of  the  one  who  was 
apparently  the  most  feeble  and  the  least  likely  to  ren- 
der sucii  (efficient  aid,  were  led  over  what  seemed,  but  a 
short  time  before,  an  impassable  gulf. 

By  the  time  they  had  well  got  ov«r  and  come  to  a 
place  a  mile  or  two  further  on  the  road,  where  they 
found  a  suitable  camping-ground,  the  shades  of  evening 
were  fast  gathering  around  thenj  This  day  had  given 
another  proof  that  travelling  was  no  child's  play  amidst 
tlie  diificulties  that  beset  the  explorers  and  first  settlers 
of  North  America.  The  place  where  they  rested  this 
niglit  was  lonely  and  dismal  ni  the  extreme,  far  away 
from  any  human  dwelling  ;  and  the  only  sound  that 
broke  the  stillness  of  the   night  was  the  dull  gt'»'.e 


# 


134 


THE    BLACK    PHAKTOM, 


OR, 


If 


of  the  flowing  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  approach 
of  night  was  welcome,  and  after  the  devotions  of  tlic 
evening,  and  the  usual  precautions  being  taken,  the  ma- 
jority of  the  company  were  soon  oblivious  to  the  forbid- 
ding surroundings  of  the  locality.  The  position  of  sen- 
tinel for  this  night  fell  upon  Brown,  who,  as  he  measured 
with  military  step  his  round,  happened  to  look  upward, 
when  he  saw  in  the  branches  of  a  tree  a  little  ahead 
of  him  two  bright  points  of  light.  Prompted  by  the 
feelings  of  the  moment,  he  hastily  retreated  to  where 
Baptiste  lay  enfolded  in  his  blanket,  on  a  little  brushwood 
under  one  of  th.}  wagons.  It  only  required  a  gentle 
touch  to  arouse  him  to  consciousness  ;  and,  more  by  the 
manner  of  Brown  than  by  his  words,  he  was  soon  aware 
that  there  must  be  something  more  than  usual  on  hand. 
His  first  impulse  was  to  seize  his  ever-ready  rifle,  and, 
following  the  steps  of  his  conductor,  his  attention  was 
directed  to  what  has  already  been  referred  to.  Baptiste 
knew  at  once  the  full  danger  of  his  position,  and  that 
it  demanded  coolness  of  mind,  firmness  of  nerve,  and 
steadiness  of  aim,  for  he  had  a  sly  and  cruel  foe  to  con- 
tend with.  But,  nothing*  daunted  at  this,  he  raised  his 
rifle,  and  as  the  sharp  crack  sounded  through  the  wo(jds, 
it  was  instantly  followed  by  a  shrill,  piercing  cry,  and 
a  sound  caused  by  the  fall  of  a  heavy  body.  Prompted 
by  his  curiosity,  and  a  wish,  perhaps,  to  be  in  at  the 
death.  Brown  ran  instantly  to  the  spot,  thinking  the 
danger  was  over.  Baptiste  rapidly  followed  him,  and, 
catching  him  by  the  arm,  cried  out  at  the  top  of  his 
voice — 

**  You  fool  I  what  for  you  do  dat  ?     Suppose  you  go 
dare,  you  be  one  dead  man  vare  soon." 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


135 


Going  then  to  the  four  dogs,  which  had  been  fully 
aroused  by  the  sound  of  the  gun,  Baptistc  letthcni  loose, 
when  they  started  for  the  fallen  and  expiring  brute  ; 
but  they  were  too  experienced  to  trust  themselves  within 
the  reach  of  his  teeth  or  claws.  Very  little  of  their 
assistance  was  required,  however  ;  for  the  aim  of  Bap- 
tiste  had  been  so  true,  that,  after  a  few  vain  attempts 
to  grasp  the  dogs,  lashing  his  long  tail,  and  tearing  up 
the  buF-'ies  and  earth  in  his  rage,  the  death-struggle  was 
soon  over.  On  examining  the  creature,  they  found  it 
t(^  be  9  North  American  male  panther  of  the  largest 
dimensions.  It  was  fortunate  that  Brown  happened  to 
see  him  when  he  did,  for  had  he  passed  underneath  the 
tree  where  the  panther  was  patiently  awaiting  his  prey, 
he  must  have  become  his  victim.  When  they  found 
that  the  brute  was  quite  dead,  all  hands  lent  their  aid 
to  drag  him  within  the  limits  of  the  camp  ;  and,  as  the 
women  and  children,  as  well  as  all  the  men,  had  been 
aroused  by  the  unusual  stir,  they  all  had  an  opportunity 
of  examining  one  of  the  most  dangerous  and  destruc- 
tive beasts  of  prey  that  range  the  forests  of  North 
America.  Ti-ey  were  particularly  struck  with  the  size 
and  strengi  I  jf  his  teeth  and  the  length  of  his  claws. 
In  a  little  time  iNptis*e  was  busy  with  his  knife,  divest- 
ing the  ar.imcl  oi  his  beautiful  skin  ;  which,  as  he 
claimed  the  sole  disposal  of  the  prize,  with  head,  tail, 
and  feet  still  attached,  he  presented  to  Mrs.  Walters, 
with  the  promise  that  he  would  cure  and  dress  it  for 
her  in  true  Tndian  styhi  at  the  first  opportunity  ;  it  would 
tlien  make  .  very  handsome  robe  for  her  sleigh,  when 
they  were  i^: '  :-Hi  on  their  farm. 

By  the  time  the  party  had  somewhat  recovered  from 


136 


THE    BLACK    PnANTOM;     OR, 


the  excitement  consequent  on  the  incident  just  narrated, 
the  first  glimmering's  of  morning  admonished  them  to 
make  preparation  for  the  prosecution  of  their  journey; 
and  so,  after  attending  to  the  necessities  of  both  man 
and  beast,  they  were  soon  threading  their  way  as  bent 
they  could  through  the  intricacies  and  entanglements  of 
the  dark  and  dreary  forest. 

At  this  part  of  their  journey  their  progress  was  slow 
and  tedious  in  the  extreme,  for,  what  with  the  obstruc- 
tions that  lay  in  the  ,  ,  thway,  in  the  form  of  trunks  of 
fallen  trees,  and  branci.t  ttered  around  that  had  been 
riven  from  the  parent  stcL:  by  the  force  of  storms,  the 
strength  and  patience  of  man  and  horse  were  often  put 
to  a  severe  test. 

The  keen  eye  of  Mrs.  Walters  might  frequently  have 
been  seen  casting  scrutinizing  glances,  and  scanning 
with  deep  interest  the  anxious  and  care-worn  counte- 
nance of  her  husband.  Captaiji  Walters  was  beginning 
to  feel  that  travelling  with  his  heavily-encumbered 
wagons  through  a  comparatively  nev  and  unbroken 
country,  was  not  as  easy  as  the  routine  of  military  duty. 
In  moments  of  more  than  ordinary  pressure  on  his 
strength  and  patience,  might  be  seen  fearful  indications 
of  failing  strength.  But  a  cheerful  expression  from  his 
affectionate  wife,  with  allusions  to  the  comforts  of  a 
future  home  when  quietly  and  snugly  settled  on  their 
farm,  acted  like  a  charm  on  his  spirits  and  his  strength, 
and  reinvigorated  him.  Though  often  Mrs.  Walters  her- 
self felt  as  if  she  were  hoping  against  hope,  she  had  the 
pnuUmce  and  self-restraint  to  hide  from  his  observation 
the  deep  depression  of  her  own  heart. 

An  accident  that  befell  them  at  this  part  of  their  jour- 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


137 


ney  appeared,  at  the  time,  to  be  one  of  the  most  disas- 
trous that  could  have  happened  under  tlie  circumstances. 
Indeed,  the  majority  of  them  thought  it  would  put  a  stop 
to  their  further  progress  ;  and  in  fact  it  did  tlirow  tlu; 
whole  company  into  a  state  of  perfect  consternation. 

'Captain  Walters,  for  that  day,  had  taken  command  of 
the  leading  team  ;  and  it  must  be  said  in  his  behalf, 
that  the  experience  he  had  gained  had  taught  him  to 
iicconimodate  his  movements  to  the  intricacies  of  the 
road.  He  had  more  than  once  exhibited  his  skill  and 
coolness  in  driving  through  difficult  defiles  and  narrow- 
passes.  But  he  now  came  to  a  place  where  the  road 
led  between  two  large  trees,  that  would  barely  allow  the 
wagons  to  pass  without  coming  in  contact  with  one  or 
tiie  other.  He  was  fully  sensible  of  the  task  now  be- 
fore him  ;  and  he  therefore  braced  himself  firmly  in  his 
seat,  grasping  the  reins  securely  in  either  hand.  Then, 
with  a  kind  and  gentle  word  to  his  team,  he  approached 
tlie  placw  with  a  slow  and  steady  caution,  measuring  the 
narrow  space,  at  the  same  time,  with  iiis  eye.  On  the 
clearance  of  the  fore-wheels,  he  appeared  in  a  moment 
to  breathe  with  greater  freedom  ;  but  at  that  moment 
up  started  a  covey  of  birds,  and  by  their  flutter  and 
flapping  just  before  the  leaders  of  his  team,  caused  them 
to  give  a  side  spring  and  sudden  start,  that  brought 
the  near  hind-wheel  in  collision  with  the  trunk  of  the 
tree,  that,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  snapped  off  the 
axle,  so  that  the  hea'  'ly-loaded  wagon  came  with  a  sud- 
den jerk  to  the  ground. 

Here  then,  was  a  dileuima,  which,  for  the  moment, 
seemed  beyond  remedy,  as  there  was  not  a  wheelwright 
or  a  blacksmith  within  a  hundred  miles.     What  were 


^» 


138 


THE  BLACK  phantom;    or, 


Th 


they  to  do  under  these  trying  circumstances  ?  i  nere 
the  wagon  hiy,  firndy  wedged  in  between  tlie  two  kirge 
trees  I  AH  stood  looking  on  in  sad  and  silent  amaze- 
ment. Even  the  two  children  appeared  fully  conscious 
of  their  perilous  position,  for  their  tears  fell  free  and 
fast.  Mrs.  Walters,  who  had  thus  far  borue  up  so  nobly, 
and  striven  to  hide  her  own  impressions — who  always 
had  a  ready  word  of  wit  or  of  wisdom  to  break  the  spell 
of  her  husband's  despondency — had  not  now  a  word  to 
utter  ;  her  own  fortitude  seemed  to  yield  and  sink,  on 
seeing  the  complete  prostration  of  his  physical  powers. 
The  whole  group  se<Nned  at  their  wits'  end  :  even  Baptistc 
had  lost  all  his  sprightliness  and  energy,  who  stood 
crossing  himself  ;  nd  ruttering,  "  3Ion  Dieu !  Man 
Dieu  P'  To  add  to  their  discomfort,  the  day  was  near 
its  close,  and  tr.e  locality  where  they  were  was  not  one 
they  would  have  selected  for  their  night's  encampment. 
But  in  this  case  they  had  to  make  a  virtue  of  necessity, 
and  bestir  themselves  to  set  things  in  order  for  the  ap- 
proaching night,  as  there  was  no  moon  to  light  them 
should  they  be  belated  in  their  work.  So,  all  hands 
were  soon  busy,  attending  to  their  allotted  departments 
— Brown  and  Jones  looking  after  and  grooming  the 
horses  ;  Baptiste  actively  employed  with  his  axe  in  pre- 
paring fuel  for  the  women  to  cook  the  supper,  as  well 
as  collecting,  from  the  great  quantity  of  broken-off 
branches  that  lay  scattered  around,  a  supply  for  their 
niglit-fires.  These  were  placed  in  heaps  at  short  dis- 
tances around  their  camp,  in  order  that  they  might  be 
lighted  ihe  last  thing  before  retiring  to  rest  for  tlie  night. 
The  women  had  been  cooking  a  savory  supper — the 
remains  of  a  line    fat  youiig   deer,   shot  by  Captain 


woman's  endurance. 


139 


Walters  two  days  before.  With  keen  appetites  the 
wliole  party  had  sat  down,  and  partaken  witli  more  than 
common  relish  of  the  rich  and  abundant  feast,  wlien,  just 
at  the  close  of  their  supper,  Baptiste  suddenly  sprang 
to  his  feet.  His  quick,  keen  ear,  had  caught  an  ominous 
sound  coming  from  the  leeward  ;  and  who  has  ever 
heard  that  very  peculiar  sound  without  fear  and  trem- 
bling ?  The  sound  was  soon  answered  from  the  opposite 
direction,  followed  by  another,  another,  and  still ; mother, 
uutil  the  surrounding  forest  became  vocal  with  tl;o  din 
of  the  hideous  howl. 

From  the  first  well-known  note  of  warning  that  fell 
upon  the  ear  of  Baptiste,  he  comprehended  their  danger. 
He  knew  that  prompt  action  was  necessary  for  their 
safety,  and  he  bestirred  himself  accordingly.  The  wo- 
men were  quickly  at  work  kindling  the  piles  of  wood 
prepared  for  that  purpose.  Baptiste  had  soon  his  trusty 
rifle  in  full  trim  for  action — Brown  and  Jones  the  heavy 
English  muskets  they  had  procured  from  the  regimental 
armory.  Captain  Walters  had  his  double-barrelled  Man- 
ton,  and  a  fine  American  rifle  besides.  Each  had  his 
piece  ready  charged  with  ball,  and  plenty  of  ammunition 
near  at  hand.  The  horses  were  well  secured  ;  the  dogs 
made  fast ;  and  the  women  and  children  safely  placed 
under  the  canvas  cover  of  the  wagon.  Perched  on  the 
tops  of  the  wagons,  to  give  the  greatest  range  to  their 
vision,  the  men  awaited  the  advance  of  the  coming  foe. 

It  appeared  that  the  rich  odor  from  the  cooking  sup. 
per,  carried  by  the  wind,  had  been  sniffed  by  a  hungry 
wolf,  and  lured  him  from  his  lair.  By  a  peculiar  call, 
well  known  to  the  backwoodsman,  he  had  summoned 
his  gaunt  and  greedy  fellows  to  assist  him  in  the  on- 


140 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


slauglit  ;  for,  however  much  he  may  wisli  to  partake  of 
the  feast  alom;,  if  opposition  is  to  be  encount<ired,  his 
own  native  cowardice  shrinks  from  the  attack.  It  is 
only  in  the  company  of  numbers  that  the  wolf  is  bold. 
And  it  must  be  said,  that,  if  numbers  were  calculatiMJ 
to  inspire  with  courage,  they  were  not  wanting  on  this 
occasion,  for  they  came  trooping  from  every  direction  ; 
and  the  howl  that  had  at  first  been  just  faintly  heard, 
from  its  distance,  now  gathered  force  and  volume  from 
its  nearer  approach. 

Such  were  the  overwhelming  and  absorbing  interests 
of  the  moment,  that  the  disaster  of  the  broken  axle  was 
not  once  thought  of.  The  minds  of  the  men  were 
wrought  up  to  the  highest  pitch  of  determined  but  cool 
courage.  They  had  so  arranged  their  procedure,  that 
each  was  to  face  and  fire  in  opposite  directions,  so  as  to 
spread  the  greater  confusion  among  the  savage  brutes. 
The  surrounding  woods  were  well  lit  up  by  the  bright 
and  clear  blaze  of  the  cordon  of  fire,  which  kept  the 
savages  at  bay,  and  at  the  same  time  enabled  the  men 
to  take  steady  and  deliberate  aim.  And  every  shot  told. 
What  with  the  sounds  of  the  rattling  musketry,  and  the 
howls,  growls,  and  snarlings  of  the  savage  herd,  as 
these  reverberated  through  the  neighboring  woods,  it 
was  such  a  scene  as  neither  eloquent  tongue  nor  ready 
pen  would  find  it  easy  to  portray.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
the  unremitting  fire  kept  up  by  the  four  men,  directed 
with  '^ill  and  sustained  by  such  energy,  was,  to  the 
relief  of  the  whole  party,  crowned  with  success  ;  for  the 
entire  pack,  thinned  in  numbers,  slunk  away,  and  long 
before  the  dawn  of  day,  the  neighboring  forest  was  as 
silent  as  though  nothing  more  than  usual  had  occurred 


woman's  endurance. 


141 


through  the  night  to  awaken  its  echoes.  Tndocd,  so 
quiet  had  the  place  been  for  the  last  few  hours  of  the 
nig-ht,  that  the  women  and  children  were  enjoying  a 
sound  and  refreshing  sleep. 

No  sooner  did  the  day  dawn  than  Baptiste  gave  evi- 
dence that  he  had  not  been  idle  through  the  night,  and 
that  the  fracas  with  the  wolves  had  not  fully  diverted 
his  thoughts  from  their  misfortune  of  the  previous  day, 
for  in  the  early  light  he  commeac^d  his  measures,  acting, 
and  directing  others  in  his  broken  English,  as  one  who 
knew  what  he  was  about.  Right  manfully  and  intelli- 
^•pntly  he  set  to  work  ;  yet,  with  all  his  skill,  it  required 
much  manual  strength  and  labor  to  extricate  the  impris- 
oned wagon,  but  that  was  finally  accomplished. 

The  first  object  was  to  release  the  fractured  axle  that 
lay  beneath  the  wagon.  That  done,  he  placed  the 
broken  ends  in  line,  so  as  to  obtain  the  original  length. 
Then,  with  axe  in  hand  and  with  peering  eye,  he  selected 
a  proper  stick  to  replace  the  broken  axle.  He  was  not 
long  in  bringing  a  rock-maple  sapling  to  a  spot  con- 
venient for  him  to  operate  upon  it  ;  and  now  began  to 
appear  the  resources  of  his  mind  and  his  handicraft  skill. 
In  the  first  place,  he  rough-hewed  the  stick  into  some 
general  shape  as  to  length  and  form  ;  and  his  minute 
riuichanical  knowledge  was  plainly  exhibited  in  giving 
it  (to  use  the  technical  term  of  the  craft)  the  prop{»r 
"  creep."  It  was  now  seen  that  he  could  use  the  axe 
with  as  much  facility  as  the  Yankee  uses  his  jack-knife. 
But  it  would  be  useless  and  tedious  to  follow  Baptiste 
through  all  his  manipulations  in  fitting  his  axle  and 
remounting  the  wagon.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  all  was 
completed  in   a  workmanlike^  style,   and  in   as  short  a 


142 


THE   BLACK   phantom;    Oli, 


time  as  many  a  professional  mechanic  could  have  done 
it,  with  all  the  appliances  of  a  well-arranged  establish- 
ment. And  what  was  the  delig-ht  of  the  whole  party  to 
find  once  more  wagon  and  horses  placed  in  line  of 
march,  and  all  ready  for  a  start  ! 

Before  the  party  proceed  on  their  westward  journey, 
we  will  take  a  look  at  the  scenes  disclosed  on  the  battlo 
field  of  the  previous  night.  Captain  Walters  had,  early 
in  the  morning,  taken  a  stroll  around  the  field  of  slaugh- 
ter, when  he  fully  comprehended  the  calamity  they  had 
escaped.  The  number  of  slain  was  far  greater  than  he 
could  have  supposed,  and  among  the  wounded  were 
quite  a  number  so  crippled  as  to  be  unable  to  crawl  to 
any  distance.  Some  of  these  were,  with  their  wonted 
cunning,  simulating  death.  He  dispatched  several  by 
beating  out  their  brains  with  a  club.  It  was  a  remark- 
able feature  in  the  scene,  that  quite  a  number  wore 
actually  torn  to  pieces  and  partly  devoured, — proving 
that  they,  like  many  another  gang  of  villains,  are  not 
only  ever  ready  to  prey  upon  others,  but  also,  at  the 
first  chance  that  offers,  to  devour  each  other. 

When  all  things  were  ready  for  a  start,  and  the  Cap- 
tain about  to  take  his  place  upon  the  second  wagon,  his 
eye  fell  upon  the  tiny  form  of  Baptiste  as  he  sat  on  the 
seat  of  the  front  wagon,  with  the  lines  all  ready  gath- 
ered up  in  his  hands,  waiting  for  the  word  of  command. 
As  he  looked  upon  him,  he  reflected — My  worthy  Bap- 
tiste, what  sliould  we  have  done  without  thee,  thou  little 
bit  of  shrivelled-up  skin  and  bone  ? 

With  free  and  grateful  hearts  they  sped  on  their  way ; 
and  as  the  day  was  fast  drawing  to  a  close,  it  was  again 
necessary  to  think  of  looking  out  for  a  proper  camping- 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


US 


done 
jlinli- 
ty  to 
le  of 

irncy, 
lattli!- 
early 
angli- 
ly  bad 
lari  lie 

xwl  to 

\7onte(l 

ral  l)y 

omaik- 
wove 

roving 
re  not 
at  the 

Hi  Cap- 
Ion,  his 
Ion  the 
gath- 
nnand. 
?»ap- 
|u  little 

way ; 
again 

npiiig- 


gronnd  for  the  night.  But  aa  tlic  road  at  this  part  was 
tolerably  good,  they  concluded  to  continue  their  trav<d 
for  a  few  miles  further.  After  proceeding  some  time, 
what  was  their  surprise  to  find  themselves  suddenly 
brought  up  by  the  margin  of  a  broad,  deep,  and  rapid 
stream  1  Just  a  little  to  the  right  hand,  up  the  stream, 
lay  a  largo  boat  or  batteau,  with  two  men,  who  ap- 
peared to  have  the  management  of  it  ;  and  a  little  way 
from  where  the  boat  was  moored  were  two  good-sized, 
decent-looking,  whitewashed  log-cabins.  On  a  close 
view  they  found  good  outhouses,  and  there  was  a 
general  appearance  of  thrift.  They  learned  with  much 
pleasure  that  they,  with  their  horses,  could  be  accom- 
modated for  the  night.  But  what  was  their  surprise  at 
finding,  in  one  of  the  stables  or  outhouses,  the  self-same 
team  of  dappled  grays  that  had  so  abruptly  passed  them 
on  the  road,  when  only  a  few  days  from  Montreal  ! 

The  general  appearance  of  the  place  and  its  surround- 
ings was  one  of  remarkable  rural  beauty,  and,  secluded 
as  it  was  from  the  outside  world,  the  occupants  of  the 
spot  seemed  to  be  completely  cut  ofi['  from  all  intercourse 
with  civilization.  They  gave  little  evidence  of  knowing 
what  was  passing  beyond  their  own  precincts,  and 
seemed,  from  their  lack  of  curiosity,  to  care  still  less. 
They  were  not  living  in  an  age  or  within  the  circle  of 
newspapers  or  periodical  light  literature,  so  that  they 
had  nothing  to  create  or  foster  mental  appetite.  Retired 
and  undisturbed  as  was  the  life  these  simple  and  uncul- 
tivated people  led  in  this  far-off  wilderness,  it  could  not 
but  prove  an  incident  of  more  than  common  interest  to 
be  thus  invaded. 

But  their  semi-rustic  manners  were  associated  with  a 


144 


THE   BLACK   phantom;    oh, 


certain  easy  courtOHy,  and  it  might  be  Keen  tliat  tlH-ic 
was  a  Htronf^  desire  on  their  part  to  please.  This,  how- 
ever, will  create  no  surprise  when  it  is  understood  that 
they  were  French  Canadians  ;  as  it  is  a  weli-ivnowii 
fact  that  the  P^rench  never  lose  tlieir  characteristic 
national  politeness.  These  persons  had  retired  to  tiiis 
distant  locality  for  the  purpose  of  hunting,  or  of  barter- 
ing- with  the  Indians  for  the  valuable  furs  which  at  that 
time  abounded  in  these  parts  ;  and  besides  hunting-, 
trading-  with  the  Indians,  fishing,  and  cultivating  their 
land,  which  appeared  to  be  of  the  richest  kind,  th(;y  had 
sometimes  a  chance  of  making  a  little  money  by  ferry- 
ing parties  in  their  boat  over  the  river. 

As  soon  as  Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters  were  made 
aware  of  the  presence  .jf  the  feniiile  who  had  so  unc(>re- 
nioniously  passed  tliem  on  the  road,  their  curiosity  he- 
came  excited  to  learn  all  they  could  about  her.  It 
a[)peared  that  Mrs.  Brown  luid  been  deeply  exercised  in 
a  somewhat  similar  way  ;  for,  as  soon  as  the  oppor- 
tunity ollered,  she  yielded  to  her  very  inquisiiive  spirit, 
and  was  soon  in  deep  and  earnest  conversation  with  the 
man  in  company  with  the  stranger.  Mrs.  Brown — 
whose  tongue  was,  mechanically  speaking,  of  double- 
action  speed — was  quite  eloquent  in  imparting  all  slie 
knew  that  could  be  said  in  praise  of  Captain  or  Mrs. 
Walters  ;  but  at  the  same  time  she  was  very  cautious  in 
not  committing  herself  too  far  in  answering  all  his  ques- 
tions, and  what  she  did  answer  were  only  as  baits 
thrown  out  to  lure  him  into  the  meshes  of  her  toils. 
But  she  might  as  well  have  attempted  to  penetrate  the 
secrets  of  the  upper  or  nether  world  as  to  draw  fnjni 
him  any  information  as  to  who  the  fair  stranger  was, 


woman's     ENDUliANCE. 


145 


for  as  to  that  hin  mouth  Roeined  hermetically  seahvl. 
Ami  what  was  the  diHappointment  of  Mrs.  Walters,  who 
hiul  truHted  that  the  case  was  perfectly  safe  in  the 
hands  of  Mrs.  Brown,  but  who  now  learned  that  not 
,  Illy  had  her  own  personal  application  for  an  interview 
been  refused,  hut  that  Mrs.  Brown's  wily-woman's-wind- 
iiio's  had  been  entirely  at  fault ! 

When  the  Captain  found  they  had  such  ^-ood  quarters, 
lie  concluded  to  remain  for  a  few  days,  that  the  whole 
party  mifi^-ht  recruit  their  strength,  and  refit  any  little 
tiling  that  mijn^ht  have  been  deranged.  He  and  Mrs. 
Walters  became  really  anxious  to  know  somethiuf^  of 
the  female  who  so  sedulously  shrouded  herself  from  their 
observation.  They  concluded  that  on  the  following  day 
they  would  try  some  little  stratagem  to  draw  her  forth, 
\n(\  by  some  proffered  kindness  ingratiate  themselves  in 
..L'r  favor  ;  they  might  thus  acquire  an  agreeable  com- 
panion for  the  remainder  of  their  journey,  if  they  were 
^•oing  the  same  way.  But,  what  was  their  astonishm(;nt 
to  fmd,  on  the  following  morning,  that  the  lady  and  h(n' 
iimn  had  gone  over  the  river  more  than  an  hour  before 
sunrise,  and  had  left  no  clue  as  to  who  they  were,  or 
their  destination  1 

Before  we  follow  the  narrative  of  our  own  company, 
wo  will  give  a  short  conversation  that  passed  between 
tiiis  lady  and  her  man-servant — as  Ibllows. 

"  Well,  Thomas,"  she  said,  "  we  are  again  free  from 
the  intrusion  of  company,  of  prying  eyes  and  listening 
ears,  and  I  may  now  speak  at  our  leisure  and  in  freedom, 
which  I  did  not  have  the  opportunity  of  doing  during 
our  stay  at  the  last  place.  How  do  you  think  things 
were  conducted  ?     Have  they  any  knowledge  or  recol- 

7 


w 


^^" 


wmrp 


146 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


lection  of  us — as  to  who  we  are,  or  that  they  have  seen 
us  before  ?" 

"  No,  my  lady,"  said  the  man,  with  great  respect  ; 
"  they  were  not  able  to  judge  with  regard  to  you,  tor 
they  could  not  get  even  a  glimpse  of  your  person.  One 
of  the  females  tried  hard  to  draw  something  from  me 
by  asking  all  sorts  of  questions,  but  it  was  to  no  pur- 
pose, for  I  remained  mum  to  all.  I  suppose  she  thought 
she  was  giving  me  a  great  deal  of  information  by  telling 
me  so  much  about  the  Captain  and  his  lady  :  she  little 
thought  that  I  knew  a  great  deal  more  about  them  thiiii 
she  did.  They  all  appeared  to  have  some  knowled^ 
about  the  horses,  but  I  think  they  were  not  able  to  r.  ■ 
cognize  me  in  this  disguise,  however  ;  they  made  :  •» 
allusion  from  which  I  could  infer  that  they  did." 

"  Tluit  is  all  very  well,  Thomas,"  said  the  lady  ;  "  I 
am  very  glad  that  I  exchanged  my  horses  before  I  left 
Montreal,  otherwise  the  disguise  might  not  have  b< ''n 
so  completely  maintained.  Now,  Thomas,"  said  i. 
lady,  "  you  must  drive  so  as  not  to  be  too  far  ahead,  so 
that  I  may  have  a  sight  of  them  now  and  then.  I  sup- 
pose you  consider  my  conduct  very  strange,  Thomas, 
and  that  I  am  on  something  like  a  wild-goose  chase  ?" 

"  My  lady,"  said  the  man,  "  I  will  not  question  eitlK^r 
your  wisdom  or  your  prudence,  but  one  thing  I  am  sure 
of,  that  you  musit  have  most  extraordinary  patience." 

"  Thomas,"  said  the  lady,  "  the  ways  of  Providentv^ 
are  s«)metimes  slow  in  their  movements,  and  it  requires 
prudence,  and  sometimes  great  patience,  to  wait  for 
their  full  development  ;  but  I  firmly  believe  tliat  my  ex- 
pectations will  meet  with  their  consummation  in  His 
own  good  time." 


woman's  endurance. 


147 


Captain  Walters  and  his  party  having  stayed  a  few- 
days,  according  to  their  purpose,  found  themselves,  as 
well  as  their  horses,  very  much  the  better  for  the  rest 
they  had  enjoyed.  And  having  made  all  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  prosecution  of  their  journey,  they  were 
taken  over  the  river  at  early  dawn.  They  entered  the 
(louse  woods,  where  the  axe  of  the  white  man  had 
scarcely  ever  disturbed  the  echoes,  except  here  and 
there,  just  to  clear  away  the  obstructions  that  lay  in  the 
path  of  the  solitary  traveller.  Their  progress  was  slow, 
indeed,  and  often  most  harassing  to  both  man  and  horse, 
— sometimes  perplexed  by  the  intricacies  and  sinuosities 
of  the  forest  path,  and  again  by  soft  swampy  places 
whore  the  wheels  would  sink  to  the  very  hubs,  or  jolted 
out  of  their  skin  by  passing  over  the  corduroy  roads. 
Very  often  they  had  to  go  through  the  tiresome  process 
:'  'aking  the  wagons  over  swampy  places  singly,  with 
lilt;  <'ight  horses.  Thus,  they  would  unite  the  teams, 
iv  :  even  then  it  would  be  very  difficult  for  the  eight 
hi'tses  to  drag  the  wagon  through  such  places  on  to  fu'tn 
ur.mnd  ;  let  alone  the  loss  of  time  in  going  over  tlie 
same  space  three  times.  Thus  days  and  weeks  had 
piisscd  away,  and,  in  consequence  of  detentions  from  ob~ 
sh-uctions,  and  delays  from  various  causes,  they  had  not 
yet  averaged  eight  miles  a  day.  Those  were  not  the 
days  of  steam  and  the  telegraph.  But,  though  long, 
slow,  and  tedious  had  Ix'cn  their  journey,  and  mnny  and 
woary  their  steps,  they  were  at  length  gratified  by  their 
iirrival  on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Bay  of  Quinte,  in 
ill''  neijxhborhood  of  where  Belleville  now  stands.  From 
this  place  they  journeyed  on  until  they  came  to  the  head 
of  the  bay  opposite  Trenton,  at  the  place  where  the  river 


rmrr 


148 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


Trout  forms  a  junction  with  the  Bay  of  Quinte.  It  wa.s 
at  this  placo  wliore  the  government  land  agent  for  that 
district  of  country  then  resided,  to  whom  the  Captain 
stated  his  case  and  exhibited  his  documents,  when  he 
was  directed  by  the  agent  to  proceed  to  the  siiores  of 
Lake  Ontario,  a  little  beyond  where  Brighton  is  now 
situated, — to  which  place  a  day's  hard  driving  over  the 
sand  eventually  brought  them. 

As  the  Captain  was  a  settler  of  more  than  ordinary 
ni(!ans  and  appearance,  the  agent  not  only  pointed  out 
a  very  valuable  lot  on  his  map  that  hung  up  in  his  of- 
fice, but  actually  volunteered  to  go  with  him  to  the  spc^t 
where  it  lay,  which  was  an  unusual  procedure  for  him. 
After  all  his  labor  and  anxiety,  the  Captain  had  now  a 
chance  of  seeing  his  farm,  and,  as  the  agent  was  with 
him  for  tlie  purpose  of  pointing  it  out,  he  lost  no  time  m 
setting  out  in  search  of  it.    - 

This,  h()W(5ver,  was  ;in  undertaking  of  no  small  labor, 
and  even  risk,  for  they  had  to  scramble  through  trees 
and  rank  undergrowth  of  brush  and  bramble.  They  iit 
length  discovered  the  "  lot,"  undistinguished  from  the 
contiguous  land — there  was  no  fence  to  mark  its  outline 
— save  by  small  pickets  driven  into  the  ground  at  cer- 
tain distances,  with  the  number  of  the  lot,  range,  and 
concession  paintt  d  on  them,  and  these  could  never  have 
been  discovered  by  the  uninitiated  eye. 

Here,  then,  was  the  Captain  and  his  party  at  their 
journey's  end  ;  and  it  was  very  natural  for  them  to  feel 
desirous  and  even  anxious  to  meet  with  a  suitable  place 
of  shelter  and  of  rest.  But  it  was  now  nearly  tlie  close 
of  day,  and  they  found  that  they  must  camp  for  the 
night  in  th(j  open  air,  as  had  of  late  been  their  practice. 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


149 


WHS 

that 
ptain 
jn  he 
•es  of 
\  now 
er  the 

linav]/ 
id  out 
his  of- 
le  sp(jt 
or  him. 
now  a 
IS  with 
time  iu 

Uibov, 
trees 
ioy  at 
o\n  the 
ontliiie 
at  cer- 
ge,  and 
er  have 


The  arrangements  for  this  wore  socjn  made,  for  in  tlnnr 
case  it  miglit  be  said  that  practice  iiad  made  them  per- 
fect. So  easy  is  it,  after  a  litth'  r()ngh-and4uml)l(!  witli 
untoward  events,  to  accommodate  one's  self  to  circum- 
stances ! 

The  party,  after  having  gone  through  their  usual  rou- 
tine, and  closed  the  labors  of  the  da^^  with  their  devo- 
tional evening  exercises,  gladly  retired  to  their  places 
of  rest.  But  there  was  no  rest  for  the  Captain,  who  had 
appeared  more  than  usually  sad  and  thoughtful  after 
having  seen  his  farm,  viewed  its  surroundings,  and  re- 
llectcd  on  his  present  position  and  future  prospects.  In 
fact,  his  appearance  for  a  number  of  days  had  excited  a 
deep  interest  in  the  mind  of  his  ever  attentive  and  afl'ec- 
tionate  wife. 

They  had  both  entered  upon  this  enterprise  with 
enthusiasm — they  had  been  captivated  by  the  rural 
beauties,  the  abundant  crops,  and  the  domestic  comfort 
and  thrift  they  had  seen  on  the  farm  and  in  the  homo 
of  Captain  Baldwin  and  his  very  excellent  New  England 
wife.  It  is  equally  true,  however,  that  in  what  liatl  so 
charmed  them,  they  had  seen  only  the  results  of  loiig 
years  of  hard  labor  and  of  large  expenditure.  But  S(^ 
deeply  had  their  superficial  view  been  impressed  upon 
their  minds,  that  they  yielded  tliemselves  to  its  inlluence, 
altliough  they  were  so  utterly  uniitted,  by  nature,  con- 
stitution, and  education,  for  these  to  them  untried  scenes 
of  life.  Hence,  in  the  inception  of  the  enterprise  and 
succeeding  preparations,  they  had  given  little  time  to 
retlection.  It  was  evident  they  were  wanting  in  worldly 
wisdom  and  prudence.  IIow  many  a  nnjment  was  al- 
lowed them,  in  their  long  journey,  to  consider  whether 


'f 


ti.amimfmmm 


w 


150 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


they  had  done  wisely  in  leaving  the  comparatively  slight 
annoyances  of  a  soldiei-'s  life,  with  which  they  had  be- 
come somewhat  familiar,  and  rmniing  headlong  into  a 
course  that  had  thus,  far  been  crowded  with  disasters, 
and  the  end  of  which  they  did  not  even  now  see  ! 

It  had  appeared  to  our  travellers  in  their  last  day's 
journey,  that  they  were  in  a  perfect  wilderness,  as  they 
had  not  been  made  aware  of  the  presence  of  human 
beings.  But  on  the  following  morning,  at  an  early 
hour,  they  were  undeceived  on  this  point  by  a  crowd  of 
men  and  boys,  while  more  were  seen  emerging  from  the 
woods  in  different  directions.  The  news  had  been 
carried  through  the  concession,  from  cabin  to  cabin,  that 
a  fresh  batch  of  settlers  had  come  in — with  a  glowing 
description  of  the  number  and  splendid  appearance  of 
their  horses. 

The  very  mention  of  fine  horses  acted  like  magic  in 
arousing  the  curiosity  of  the  rustic  youth  through  a  wide 
circuit.  These,  from  an  inherent  and  universal  love  of 
the  horse,  were  moved  to  come  and  see  for  themselves. 
So  that  by  noon  there  was  collected  quite  a  numerous 
company  of  most  uncouth-looking  specimens  of  humanity, 
clad  in  the  homeliest  garbs,  and  with  countenances  little 
indicative  of  intelligence.  Then  there  was  a  rudeness 
and  ignorant  familiarity,  that  shocked  the  sensibility  of 
Captain  Walters  and  his  wife.  What  most  surprised 
them  was,  that  they  could  not  obtain  a  direct  answer  to 
any  question  put  to  them.  They  appeared  as  if  devoid 
of  comprehension.  The  Captain  asked  a  tall,  lank-sided, 
raw-boned  lad,  if  he  supposed  it  at  all  possible  for  him 
to  rent  a  suitable  dwelling-house  contiguous  to  his  es- 
tate.   The  lad  looked  at  the  Captain  with  a  kind  of  dull, 


uwiimmna 


woman's  endurance. 


151 


vacant  stare,  and  a  broad  grin,  and  then  tnniino'  to 
another  lad  just  tlie  counterpart  to  liiins(!ll',  said  :  "  Whjit 
(Iocs  he  say,  Dick  ?" 

To  which  Dick  responded,  in  a  coarse,  liusky  drawl : 
"  I  dunno — that  'ere  chap's  green." 

The  Captain,  and  in  fact  the  whole  of  his  party,  found 
that  they  were  out  of  their  element  in  such  company. 
Quite  disconcerted  by  this  interview  with  those  who 
were  to  bo  their  future  neighbors,  they  moodily  sat  down, 
or  silently  sauntered  about,  apparently  without  any  aim 
or  definite  purpose  in  view. 

This  state  of  painful  inactivity  and  suspense  was  in- 
terrupted by  the  approach  of  a  portly-looking  man, 
dressed  in  the  garb  of  a  Quaker,  with  broad-brinnned 
hat.  He  stepped  up  to  the  Captain  with  a  composed 
countenance  and  a  bland  expression,  at  the  same  time 
putting  out  his  hand,  which  was  most  heartily  responded 
to  by  the  Captain. 

The  stranger  said:  "Friend,  I  give  thee  greeting, 
and  a  cordial  welcome  to  our  settlement.  I  have  been 
given  to  understand  that  it  is  thy  purpose  to  settle 
ani(jng  us.     Thy  name,  friend  ?" 

"  My  name  is  Walters,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

**  Well,  friend  Walters,  my  name  is  Obadiah  Crooks, 
and  my  advice  is  ever  at  thy  service.  Now  let  me  learn 
from  thy  own  mouth  as  to  what  are  thy  real  wishes  and 
intentions." 

Tiie  conversation  of  Obadiah  proved  to  be  a  great 
relief  to  the  Captain  ;  and  the  generous,  open  candoi", 
and  kind  spirit  that  he  manifested,  really  touclied  his 
li(3art,  and  with  great  freedom  he  responded  :  That  he 
had  been  a  captain  in  the  British  army,  but  that  he  had 


152 


THE    ULACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


loft  it — had  sold  out  his  commission — prompted  by  moral 
and  relig-ious  scruples,  and  a  wish  to  lead  for  the  future 
an  ind(!()endent  and  peaceful  life.  With  this  end  in 
view,  he  had  obtained  from  the  government  a  grant  of 
one  thousand  acres  of  land.  He  had  been  given  to  un- 
derstand by  th(!  land-agent,  that  the  place  where  they 
then  were  was  to  be  his  future  home  ;  and  he  felt 
pleased  to  think  that  he  had  so  opportunely  met  with  a 
person  who  seemed  willing,  and  in  every  way  so  able, 
to  render  him  a  little  assistance,  as  this  mode  of  life 
was  qnioC  new  to  him. 

*'  Well,  friend  Walters,"  said  Crooks,  "  I  feel  glad  that 
thou  hast  given  up  the  carnal  weapons  for  the  peaceful, 
and  in  every  way  more  useful,  employment  of  the  axe 
and  the  plough.  I  mus-t  say  that  it  is  but  little  assist- 
ance that  I  can  render  thee  :  I  said  that  my  advice  is  ever 
at  thy  service.  I  will  tell  thee,  friend  Walters,  that  this 
is  quite  a  new  settlement,  and  as  yet  the  improvements 
are  very  small.  The  people  are  very  poor,  and  our  ac- 
commodations very  scanty, — so  much  so,  that  there  is 
not  a  single  cabin  in  all  this  concession  big  enough 
to  hold  thy  family.  And  I  have  been  thinking  that 
there  is  only  one  of  two  ways  for  thee  to  act  ;  one  is, 
for  some  of  our  people  to  take  one  of  thy  party  to  re- 
main with  them  for  a  few  days,  and  so  distribute  them 
among  us,  until  thou  canst  raise  a  log-cabin  of  thy  own. 
If  thou  adopt  this  plan,  I  shall  be  willing  to  take  that 
little  boy.  Th(!  other  way  is,  for  thee  and  thy  people 
to  can)p  here,  and  to  call  a  bee  to  put  up  a  cabin  for 
thee.  And  then,  I  do  not  know  what  thou  wilt  do  with 
all  thy  hors(^8,  for  the  critters  must  have  something  t) 
eat.     And  thou  wilt  have  nothing  for  them  to  do  for, 


woman's  endubance. 


163 


that 
3eful, 
!  axe 
issist- 
j  ever 
t  this 
iieiits 
r  ac- 
re is 
ougli 
that 
€  is, 
o  re- 
them 
own. 
that 
ople 
In  for 
with 
ifiC  to 
for, 


at  the  least,  say  twelve  months  ;  so  that  thou  must  be 
at  the  expense  of  feeding-  them  without  having  any 
profit  from  their  labor." 

If  the  Cai)tain  had  observed  the  countenance  of  his 
friend  Crooks  at  the  time  he  was  thus  speaking  in  such 
deprecating  terms  of  his  horses — the  keen  twinkle  of  his 
eyes,  as  they  were  scanning  with  deep  meaning  those 
animals  as  they  stood  fastened  at  a  little  distance  from 
him — and  if  he  could  at  that  moment  have  penetrated 
his  mind,  and  discovered  the  under-current  of  thought 
that  was  flowing  there — he  would  certainly  have  been 
more  guarded  in  his  expressions  of  confidence,  and  miH'e 
cautious  in  his  future  dealings  with  him.  But  we  do  not 
wish  to  speak  to  the  dispraise  of  Obadiah  personally, 
for  he  had  only  imbibed  the  spirit  of  the  community  in 
which  he  dwelt,  and  which  had  been  fostered  by  favor- 
ing circumstances.  And  he  had  been  such  an  apt  pupil, 
that  he  had  profited  more  than  his  neighbors,  owing  to 
his  keener  perceptions  and  his  greater  adroitness.  An 
individual  who  has  been  used  to  city  life,  has  always 
found  that  whatever  article  he  may  have  wanted  to  pur- 
chase, has  been  offered  at  a  definite  price.  On  the  con- 
trary, should  he  go  into  some  back  or  new  settlement, 
he  would  there  find  a  mode  of  dealing  altogether  arbi- 
trary, and  generally  by  barter.  The  question  is  not  as 
to  the  real  value  of  an  article,  but  how  one  may  obtain 
a  thing  of  greater  value  in  exchange  for  one  of  less  : 
all  the  arts  of  duplicity  and  chicanery  are  put  in  requi- 
sition to  accomplish  that  end  ;  and  he  is  the  smarU-st 
man  who  is  best  able  to  do  this. 

But  to  return — all  the  talk  of  Obadiah  might  as  well 
have  been  delivered  in  an  unknown  tongue  to  Captain 


'mB  ™ 


164 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


Walters.  He  could  not  comprehend  how  it  was  that 
there  vere  no  dwellings  in  the  settlement  large  enougli 
for  his  family,  and  that  he  must  camp  in  that  self-same 
place  until  a  bee  could  be  called  to  put  up  a  house  for 
him.  The  greatest  of  all  puzzles  to  him  was  how  to 
provide  for  his  fine  horses,  of  which  he  had  hitherto  been 
so  proud,  but  which  were  now  a  perplexing  encum- 
brance. But  the  Captain  soon  found  that  he  had  a  great 
many  things  to  unlearn  ;  and  many  more  to  learn,  that 
were  necessary  in  settling  down  on  a  bush  farm. 

Our  friend  Obadiah  continued  :  **  If  thou  concludes 
to  call  a  bee,  which  I  consider  by  far  the  best  plan  for 
thee  to  adopt,  as  it  will  be  attended  with  the  least 
trouble  and  labor  on  all  sides,  thou  canst  brash  thy 
horses  for  a  few  days,  and  by  that  time  thou  wilt  be 
better  able  to  deqide  as  to  thy  future  steps." 

"  Brash  my  horses,  sir  1"  exclaimed  the  Captain, 
"  What  am  I  to  understand  by  that  ?" 

"  Well,"  said  the  Quaker,  "  that  is  to  cut  the  tender 
branches  from  such  of  those  young  trees  as  thy  horses 
may  relish  the  best,  and  so  feed  them.  This  is  what  is 
called  brashing  them,  and  which  is  often  resorted  to  by 
settlers  on  their  first  coming  into  the  bush  with  their 
cattle,  and  at  other  times  when  proper  fodder  is  scarce." 

"  Well,"  said  the  Captain,  "  but  how  must  I  manage 
about  the  bee  that  you  speak  of  ?" 

"  Why,"  said  his  friend,  "  that  may  be  soon  man- 
aged ;"  and  called  out  to  a  man  who  seemed  a  loading 
spirit  among  the  motley  company  who  were  rollicking 
in  their  childish  and  senseless  fun  not  far  off,  "  Samuel 
Barker,  a  word  with  thee,"  at  the  same  time  making  a 
jerking  motion  with  his  head  and  hand. 


woman's  endurance. 


155 


lling 


g  a 


Samuel  was  soon  at  their  side,  with  his  deep-brown, 
sunburnt  face,  and  bare  neck  and  breast  ;  with  a 
slouched  hat  that  had  a  g-ood  part  of  tlie  brim  torn 
away,  and  lai'ge  air-holes  in  other  jiarts  ;  a  flimsy 
check-shirt,  and  tattered,  patched  pants  ;  and  a  pair  of 
rusty-colored  boots,  that  would  have  been  all  the  better 
witli  a  few  patches  under  and  over,  as  more  than  one  of 
his  remarkable  toes  were  clearly  visible,  obtruding  them- 
selves through  each  of  them.  Sara  v/as  introduced  by 
Obadiah  as  Samuel  Barker,  one  of  the  leading  men  in 
the  concession,  able  to  give  advice,  and  no  doubt  willing 
to  lend  a  hand  in  the  required  movement.  Sam  was  soon 
informed  as  to  the  object  they  had  in  view,  which  was 
to  call  a  bee  to  put  up  a  log-cabin  for  the  new-comers. 
Sam  entered  into  the  thing  with  all  the  childish  glee 
tliat  might  have  marked  the  conduct  of  a  boy  who  was 
about  to  put  on  his  first  new  suit.  It  was  with  reluc- 
tance that  he  waited  to  hear  the  formal  advice  of  Oba- 
diah, or  even  to  satisfy  the  reasonable  inc^uiries  of  the 
Captain.  But  when  released,  Sam  was  back  in  a  trice 
to  his  anxious  companions,  who  were  waiting  his  return, 
as  they  had  been  querying  among  themselves  the  pur- 
pose for  which  he  had  been  called.  With  great  self- 
importance  Sam  communicated  to  them  the  object  of  his 
high  mission,  and  was  about  to  give  his  opinion,  when 
he  was  abruptly  cut  short  by  Tom  Williams,  who  bawled 
out  at  the  top  of  his  voice — 

"  How  much  whiskey  is  we  to  get  ?  'Case  if  there 
ain't  no  whiskey,  I  ain't  going  to  come,  no  how." 

This  proved  to  be  the  key-note,  and  each  man  and 
boy  chimed  in  to  the  same  tune  :  there  was  no  note  of 
discord — no  whiskey,  no  cabin.     And   Sam  was  fully 


T 


156 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


commissioned  to  negotiate  with  the  opposite  party,  which 
proved  to  be  a  more  difficult  task  than  he  had  antici- 
pated, as  there  was  strong  moral  principle  on  the  one 
side,  and  on  the  other  the  decision,  "  No  whiskey,  no 
cabin," 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  it  was  clearly  per- 
ceived that  there  raist  be  a  compromise  in  some  way,  or 
the  high  contracting  parties  must  fail  in  their  negotia- 
tions. 

Sam  seemed  calculating  and  pondering  some  further 
suggestion,  when  he  proposed  that,  if  the  Captain  would 
hand  over  to  hira  so  much  money,  the  men  would  bring 
their  own  grub,  and  then  it  would  not  matter  to  him 
what  they  did  with  the  cash.  The  Captain  found  it 
necessary  to  yield  his  point,  though  he  handed  over 
the  amount  to  Sam  with  great  reluctance,  accompanied 
with  sage  advice  and  good  counsel.  But  the  Captain 
might  as  well  have  spoken  to  the  passing  breeze,  for 
any  good  effect  it  produced  on  Sam.  Sam  triumphantly 
carried  back  his  prize  to  his  companions,  who  celebrated 
the  victory  he  had  won,  by  an  uproarious  shout  of  ap- 
plause. 

The  men  now  held  a  consultation  among  themselves, 
to  determine  what  each  man  should  bring  in  the  way  of 
eatables  the  following  morning.  One  was  to  bring  a 
boiled  ham  ;  another,  a  piece  of  beef  and  a  roasted 
sucking-pig  ;  another,  a  roasted  turkey  :  and  then  there 
was  to  be  a  plentiful  supply  of  boiled  and  roasted 
chickens.  Pies,  puddings,  and  cakes  were  promised, 
for  all  these  were  plentiful  in  the  bush. 

After  this  understanding,  the  motley  group  of  men 
and  boys  soon  separated,  each  wending  his  way  to  his 


woman's  endurance. 


157 


men 
bis 


own  cabin,  to  give  directions  to  bis  domestic  circle  to 
make  preparations  for  the  feast  of  good  things  on  the 
following  day. 

Many  were  the  hands  and  heads  busily  engaged  in 
almost  every  cabin  through  the  entire  settlement.  Fov 
great  were  the  pleasures  anticipated  on  such  a  gala-day 
in  the  bush,  where  was  to  be  assembled  so  large  a  com- 
pany. 

It  might  have  proved  highly  amusing,  could  we  have 
taken  a  peep  into  some  of  those  cabins  on  that  memora- 
ble night — witnessed  the  perspiring  dames,  and  their 
beautiful  and  agile  daughters,  racking  their  brains  in 
the  CiTort  to  excel  in  the  variety,  quality,  and  quantity 
of  their  pastry.  The  aim  was  to  make  their  things 
"good."  One  object  they  had  in  view  was  to  astonish 
the  new-comers  at  the  fatness  of  the  land.  A  very  high 
opinion  had  already  been  formed  of  the  character  of  the 
strangers,  from  the  reports  of  the  general  appearance 
of  their  outfit ;  and  each  of  the  ladies,  young  and  old, 
wanted  to  make  a  favorable  impression,  to  gain  their 
special  notice. 

Now  that  our  party  were  left  alone  to  pursue  their 
own  routine,  they  felt  more  at  their  ease  ;  and  many 
were  the  remarks  made  respecting  the  appearance  of 
their  new  home,  and  the  character  and  conduct  of  those 
who  were  to  be  their  future  neighbors,  if  not  their  asso- 
ciates and  companions.  It  might  have  been  clearly 
seen  by  the  look  and  manner,  if  not  by  the  words  of 
Captain  Walters,  that  he  did  not  feel  altogether  in  his 
light  place,  or  among  those  suited  to  the  cast  of  his  own 
mind.  For  there  had  not,  as  yet,  been  a  single  indi- 
vidual among  those  who  had  been  presented  to  him,  with 


158 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


whom  ho  could  enjoy  the  ploasirifi^  interchanfi^c  of  profit- 
uble  thou<;-ht.  It  was  true,  lie  had  held  a  conversation 
with  Obadiah  Crooks,  but  tiiore  was  sometliing  so  cohl 
and  formal,  yea,  even  repulsive  in  his  manner — entirely 
opposed  to  his  own  warm,  impulsive,  and  confiding  na 
ture — that  he  could  look  for  nothing  like  friendship 
there. 

All  this,  however,  had  the  direct  tendency  to  cut  oil" 
aU  earthly  resource,  and  to  lead  Captain  Walters'  mind 
to  higher  and  nobler  thoughts,  so  that  when  the  moment 
for  the  evening  devotions  of  himself  and  wife  arriY<3d, 
his  spirit  was  in  that  frame  of  resignation  to  the  Divine 
will,  that  he  felt  as  though  he  could  lay  all  his  earthly 
interests  on  the  altar  of  self-sacrifice.  And,  indeed,  thiw 
feeling  was  mutual — a  sympathy  and  melting  tender- 
ness, yea,  an  overwhelming  sense  of  the  Divine  presence. 
So  that,  although  they  were  in  the  darkness  and  solita- 
riness of  the  primeval  woods,  and  far  away  from  any 
stately  edifice  where  fashionable  congregations  meet, 
yet  in  their  loneliness  they  could  say,  "  Lo,  God  is  here." 
And  this  was  enough  to  calm  every  fear,  and  hush  to 
silence  every  doubt,  so  that  heart  and  tongue  were  in 
full  accord,  to  praise  and  adore.  Never  had  the  echoes 
of  those  woods  been  awakened  to  such  strains  of  rap- 
turous melody  before  ;  it  was  indeed  the  first  dedici 
tion  and  consecration  of  that  spot  to  God.  Thus,  c 
and  serene,  they  retired  ;  and  sweet  were  their  slumb 
on  this  the  first  night  spent  in  their  western  home,  foi 
they  felt  the  assurance  that  underneath  and  around  were 
the  everlasting  arms. 


woman's  endurance. 


159 


CHAPTER  XII. 


were 


On  the  following  morning,  according  to  arrangement, 
the  company  was  at  the  place  of  rcndezvons  at  a  very 
early  honr.  As  usual  on  such  occasions,  four  of  the 
most  skilful  men  are  first  selected  to  take  the  entire 
management  of  the  four  corners  of  the  building.  These 
see  that  the  timbers  are  properly  half-notched,  so  that 
their  fitting  may  be  all  right  when  the  alternate  round 
logs  are  laid  :  the  notching  at  the  ends  forms  the  cor- 
ners, and  holds  them  firm  in  their  place.  The  men  are 
then  divided  into  squads,  and  these  squads  are  told  off, 
and  each  assigned  to  the  work  he  is  best  qualified  to 
perform.  An  eligible  site  being  selected,  the  space  is 
cleared  of  trees,  or  other  encumbrances,  and  all  things 
are  now  ready  to  begin  the  erection  of  the  log-cabin. 
Young  elm-trees  are  chosen,  if  possible  ;  and  if  there  are 
enough  of  these  at  hand,  they  are  soon  brought  down 
by  the  sturdy  axe-men,  and  dragged  by  oxen  to  the  spot 
Aiicre  tliey  are  wanted,  either  to  the  sides  or  the  ends 
of  the  building. 

"\>  here  skill  and  numbers  are  employed,  rapid  prog- 
ress may  be  expected.  This  is  especially  the  case  where 
a  bee  is  called  to  raise  a  log-cabin  ;  for  by  noon  the 
four  walls  ar  nearly  up,  and  ready  for  the  roof.  And, 
what  with  the  satisfaction  they  feel  in  the  contempla- 
tion of  the  work  done,  together  with  the  free  circulation 


p 


160 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


of  whiskey,  they  begin  to  have  a  lively  time  of  it  by 
midday. 

During  the  morning  there  has  been  flocking  to  this 
centre  of  attraction  the  wives  and  families  of  the  men 
who  have  been,  at  work,  bearing  along  with  them  the 
provisions  prepared  the  night  previous,  and  which  they 
intended  should  be  ready  by  noon  for  the  assembleil 
company,  who,  when  the  hour  f  rives,  gather  to  the 
feast  with  keen  appetites,  glib  tongues,  and  vociferous 
voices.  The  scene  now  presented  to  our  party  exhib- 
ited to  their  contemplation  an  entirely  new  phase  of  so- 
cial life.  With  becoming  dignity  they  stood  aloof  from 
the  frivolous  and  childish  hilarity  of  the  rustics,  though 
at  times  it  was  with  very  great  difHculty  that  the 
Captain  repressed  a  manifestation  of  hig  wounded 
feelings. 

On  one  occasion  Tom  Wilson,  who  seemed  to  be  the 
bell-wether  of  the  party,  had  heard  Mrs.  Walters  call  her 
husband  "  Robert."  This  was  enough  for  Tom,  who,  in 
a  few  minutes  after,  came  to  the  Captain  with  a  glass  of 
wliiskey,  and  in  a  coarse  husky  voice,  and  with  exces- 
sive rudeness,  said — 

"  Come,  Robert,  tak  a  glass  wi'  me."  But  almost  in 
the  same  breath  said — "  Robert  is  too  big  a  word  for  my 
tooncf.      I  shall  ca'  yo'  Bob,  'case  you're  goin'  to  be  one 


o'  us." 


This  was  a  home-thrust  at  the  Captain's  self-respect, 
but  witli  gentle  firmness  he  said — 

"  My  good  friend,  I  do  not  drink  that  kind  of  liquor — 
it  would  make  me  very  ill  indeed." 

But  the  Captain  was  not  to  escape  with  the  boorish 
rudeness  of  Wilson.     A  kind   of  half-grown   lad,  witli 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


101 


for  my 
)e  oue 


luor — 


looriHii 
with 


seared  and  deeply  pock-marked  face,  and  enormous  out- 
standing teetl),  stood  gaping"  with  eyes  wide  open,  and 
mouth  distended  with  a  hideous  grin,  observing  the 
doings  and  sayings  of  Wilson.  Tliis  fellow,  shortly 
after — when  the  Captain,  wishing  to  throw  off  a  little  of 
his  conventional  stiffness  of  manner,  was  in  a  friendly 
and  familiar  way  speaking  to  one  of  the  men  about  the 
dexterous  way  in  which  he  handled  his  axe — invited  him 
to  try  his  hand  at  the  same  exercise,  especially  as  he 
was  going  to  be  a  farmer  himself  The  Captain,  taking 
the  axe,  planted  several  strokes,  putting  in  with  all  his 
might,  but  made  little  impression  on  the  log,  scarcely- 
penetrating  the  bark,  when  all  eyes  were  at  once  directed 
towards  the  novice  axe-man.  Seeing  the  small  results  of 
such  great  exertion,  and  the  awkward  manner  in  which 
he  wielded  his  instrument,  there  was  a  general  laugh  at 
his  expense.  But  what  gave  a  cast  of  the  ludicrous  to 
the  scene  was  that  the  lad  above  alluded  to,  as  the  Cap- 
tain was  about  to  give  another  stroke  with  the  axe, 
hawled  out — 

"  Hold  on,  Bobby  ;  there  is  a  fly  there,  and  if  yo'  hits 
it  you'll  sure  hurt  it  !" 

In  a  moment  the  axe  fell  from  che  hands  of  the  Cap- 
tain,— this  piece  of  coarse  wit  and  gross  rudeiicss  being 
too  much  for  his  nerves,  especially  as  it  brought  forth  a 
burst  of  uproarious  merriment  at  his  expense  from  the 
loi/kers-on.  He  appeared  confounded  for  the  moment, 
l>ut  soon  regained  his  self-possession.  But  this  incidc.'nt 
Hcemed  to  make  a  deep  impression  on  the  heart  of  Mis. 
VV^alters,  who  would  nnich  rather  it  had  been  directed 
against  herself  'hau  her  husband. 

But  others  present  were  not  inattentive  spectatfjra, 


162 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


and  not  a  little  disturbed  at  this  indecorous  proceeding. 
Brown  and  Jones  could  ill  brook  the  indignities,  an 
they  considered  them,  directed  against  tiieir  captain,  and 
were  not  backward  in  giving  expression  to  their  feel- 
ings ;  but  they  might  as  well  have  spoken  to  the  oxen 
that  were  drawing  the  logs  to  the  building  as  to  men 
oblivious  to  all  sense  of  right  from  frequent  potations  of 
whiskey.  Presently,  Tom  Wilson,  and  Jim  Roberts  (who 
seemed  to  be  the  equal  of  Tom  in  down-right  ruffianism), 
pitted  themselves  against  Jones,  taking  courage  from 
mutual  support.  But  Jones,  though  naturally  mild  and 
gentle  as  a  lamb,  was  not  the  man  to  allow  things  to  go 
too  far  without  his  "  John  BuUism"  showing  a  little  oC 
his  prowess.  At  length,  emboldened  by  Jones's  appa- 
rent shyness,  the  two  men  actually  approached  him  in  a 
menacing  manner.  Jones  retreated  a  little,  which  only 
tended  to  increase  their  boldness.  On  their  nearer  ap- 
proach, the  form  of  Jones  seemed  to  swell  to  gigantic 
proportions,  and,  quick  as  thought  catching  th  m  by 
the  back  of  their  necks,  one  in  each  hand,  ho  shook  them 
as  though  he  would  shake  their  very  bones  asunder. 
He  then  brought  their  heads  together  with  such  force 
that  the  concussion  was  heard  by  all  the  company  on  the 
ground.  After  repeating  this  for  five  or  six  times,  cast- 
ing them  from  him  with  herculean  strength,  they  went 
whirling,  and  fell  full  length  on  the  ground  at  a  distance 
from  him,  Jones  now  walked  coolly  away  from  the 
spot,  as  composed  as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  rnllle 
his  temper.  Not  so,  however,  the  two  men  ;  for  Tom 
Wilson,  raising  himself  upon  one  elbow,  said — 
"  Golly,  Jim,  don't  that  big  fellow  squeeze  1" 
"  I  guess  he  does,"  said  Koberts.     "  It  was  all  your 


woman's  endurance. 


163 


antic 
m  by 

thcni 
under. 

force 
on  tlie 
cast- 
/■  went 
stance 
ni  tlic 
)  rnillt' 
Tom 


\\  your 


fault  ;  he  warn't  goin'  to  be  ugly  till  yo'  bothered  him — 
and  that's  jist  so." 

Wilson  acknowledged  the  truth  of  these  words,  and 
quickly  raising  himself  from  the  ground,  started  off  to- 
wards Jones,  followed  by  Roberts,  and  said — 

"  By  golly  1  big  un,  but  yourn  are  pretty  strong 
arms  ;  but  it  was  all  our  fault — give  us  yourn  fist,  old 
fellow,"  at  the  same  time  holding  out  his  hand.  Jones 
kindly  took  the  proffered  hands  of  the  two  men,  one  in 
either  of  his  own,  and  drawing  their  heads  towards  him, 
said,  in  a  loud  whisper — 

"  Remember  that  our  Captain  is  neither  Robert,  Bob, 
nor  Bobby,  but  Captain  Walters — do  you  understand 
me  ?"  He  made  them  repeat  the  name  and  title  after 
liim  several  times,  to  impress  it  on  their  memory.  Thus 
these  men,  and  others  present,  were  taught  that  they 
could  not  with  impunity  overstep  the  bounds  of  good 
behavior. 

After  this,  the  main  business  of  the  day  went  bravely 
ou  to  its  completion.  The  roof  of  the  cabin  was  cov- 
ered with  large  sheets  of  birch  bark,  which  had  been 
stripped  whole  from  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  The  door 
and  window-places  were  furnished  with  pieces  cut  from 
the  solid  round  logs.  The  party  having  the  construction 
of  the  fireplace  and  chimney  in  hand,  had  it  run  up 
above  the  roof  by  the  time  the  rest  of  the  cabin  was 
completed. 

Here,  then,  was  the  first  great  requirement  of  bush 
life  begun  and  finished  in  one  day — a  log-cabin  forty 
feet  by  twenty-five,  divided  in  nearly  the  centre  in  the 
same  way,  and  with  like  kind  of  material,  as  the  ends  ; 
and  these  rooms  divided  oflf  into  separate  apartments — 


164 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


as  sleeping'-rooms  or  otherwise,  to  suit  the  wish  or  con* 
venieijce  of  the  occupants — by  hanging  up  sheets  or 
counterpanes  from  tiie  rafters  overhead. 

Mrs.  Walters  had  made  up  her  mind,  during  the  day, 
to  give  the  party,  and  especially  the  ladies,  young  and 
old,  an  agreeable  suprise  in  the  evening.  So,  she  had 
the  large  canvas  tent  which  tiiey  had  brought  with  them 
from  Montreal,  taken  out  of  the  wagon  and  erected  by 
Brown  and  Jones,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  over- 
active Baptiste,  at  a  distance  from  the  place  where  the 
cabin  stood.  In  the  centre  of  this  tent  a  large  table 
was  placed,  formed  by  adjusting  the  boxes  and  cases 
that  contained  the  articles  they  had  brought  with  them. 

Among  the  latter,  Mrs.  Walters  had  several  china 
tea-sets.  These  she  arranged  with  such  taste  upon  the 
very  handsome  table-cloths  which  covered  the  temporary 
table,  that  the  whole  thing  presented  an  appearance  of 
real  elegance.  And  then  the  tent  was  lighted  up  with 
a  immber  of  wax-candles  placed  in  beautiful  branch 
candlesticks. 

Mrs.  Walters  had  supplied  herself  with  an  assortment 
of  very  choice  tea  before  leaving  Montreal  ;  this  being' 
now  brought  out,  the  capacious  tea-urn  was  put  in 
requisition,  and  filled  to  its  brim  with  the  fragrant  and 
delicious  beverage.  Bapti^ite  was  in  his  glory,  with 
his  ruffle-shirt,  white  apron,  light  pantaloons  and  jacket 
— he  was  here,  and  there,  and  everywhere.  The  men 
had  cut  a  number  of  round  logs  about  the  height  of 
chairs,  on  which  boards  were  laid,  to  form  seats  around 
the  table.  A  large  side-table  was  also  erected  on  one 
side  of  the  tent,  on  which  was  spread  out,  on  trays  and 
dishes,  the  cakes  and  bread  provided  by  the  ladies.    It 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


165 


lie  men 


larouuU 
oil  one 


les. 


must  be  acknowledged,  that  Mrs.  Walters  was  greatly 
and  agreeably  surprised  when  she  saw  the  profusion  in 
which  every  thing  had  been  supplied — new-laid  eggs, 
the  sweetest  of  fresh  butter,  and  the  richest  of  cream, 
forming  a  very  conspicuous  feature  in  the  feast. 

The  arrangements  all  finished,  and  the  grand  display 
mad(?,  Mrs.  Walters  felt  her  woman's  pride  in  no  small 
degree  excited  when  she  contemplated  the  scene,  and 
considered  the  impression  all  this  would  make  on  the 
minds  of  the  assembled  rustics.  Brown  and  Jones,  un- 
der the  ever-vigilant  eye  of  Baptiste,  acted  as  sentinels, 
to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  any  person  before  the  ap- 
pointed time,  tliat  the  surprise  might  prove  the  more 
complete.  And,  indeed,  all  that  was  anticipated  was 
more  than  realized,  in  the  astonishment  and  bewilder- 
ment exhibited  by  the  rustics,  for  they  apparently  felt, 
and  really  acted,  as  if  they  had  been  introduced  into  a 
fairy  palace.  Where  such  things  could  have  come  from, 
and  how  they  could  hav(>  been  made,  far  surpassed  tlieir 
comprehension.  But  when  the  fragrant  tea  was  served 
out  in  those  delicate  and  beautiful  china  cups  and  sau- 
cers, they  gave  vent  to  their  feelings,  and  were  loud  in 
tlieir  praises.  But  of  the  eagerness  with  which  they 
quaifed  the  delicious  beverage,  vociferously  calling  for 
more  and  more,  we  shall  not  attempt  a  description. 
This  was  little  like  the  decorous  tea-parties  wliich  the 
refined  and  accomplished  Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters  had 
heen  used  to  giving  and  attending. 

Long  some  of  this  uni(|ue  party  sat,  and  it  was  with 
p^reat  reluctance  they  retired,  to  make  room  at  the  table 
for  the  younger  branches  of  their  families.  These  had 
for  some  time  exhibited,  outside  the  tent,  an  impatience 


f 


166 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;   OR, 


difficult  to  restrain  ;  and  when  admitted,  any  attempt  at 
restraint  was  utterly  futile.  They  could  only  be  com- 
pared to  a  company  of  wild,  unbroken  colts — some  of 
them  dirty  and  ragged  as  they  were  wild.  Captain 
Walters  stood  by  his  wife  at  this  moment,  and  whis- 
pered in  her  ear — 

"  My  dear,  one  of  the  negative  blessings  of  heaven 
will  be,  that  there  will  be  no  unruly  half-grown  boys 
and  girls  there,"     She  nodded  her  assent  with  a  smile. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  exultant  feelings  of  Mrs. 
Walters  received  a  check,  as  was  evidenced  by  the 
gloom,  and  indeed  momentary  frown,  upon  her  counte- 
nance. And  no  wonder  ;  for,  at  the  first  round  of  the 
cups  of  tea,  served  out  to  this  herd  of  young  incorrigi- 
bles,  one  of  the  boys  struck  the  elbow  of  the  girl  who 
stood  next  to  him,  splashing  the  scalding  hot  tea  over 
her  face  and  hands,  and  dashing  the  beautiful  china  cup 
and  saucer  upon  the  fine  table-cloth,  and  thence  to  tlio 
ground,  in  a  thousand  pieces.  This  was  followed  by  a 
loud  laugh  by  all  the  gawky  and  giddy  throng,  who  aj)- 
peared  quite  unconscious  of  the  mischief  they  had  done 
in  breaking  a  part  of  a  beautiful  and  expensive  china 
tea-set,  and  which  could  not  be  replaced  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. As  misfortunes  seldom  come  alone,  we 
would  say  that  through  the  recklessness  of  this  untamed 
herd — no  other  term  could  so  appropriately  designate 
them — at  the  very  least  half  a  dozen  mishaps  occurred 
of  a  character  similar  to  the  one  above  described,  during 
the  evening. 

At  length  the  toile,  the  pleasures,  and  the  vexations 
of  this  eventful  day  came  to  a  close,  and  the  com})any, 
with  difierent  and  very  conflicting  feelings,  separated. 


woman's  endurance. 


167 


dui-ini; 


;iri 


But  before  doing  so,  the  men  had  built  up  a  large  log- 
fire  in  the  capacious  fireplace  of  the  newly-erected 
cabin. 

Weary,  and  more  than  ordinarily  thoughtful  and  sad, 
our  company,  after  reading  the  Ninety-first  Psalm,  and 
committing  themselves  to  the  safti-keeping  of  their  heav- 
enly Father  for  the  night,  retired  to  their  places  of 
rest. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  the  Captain  and  his 
wife  entered  the  new  log-cabin,  and  examined  it  and  its 
surroundings  with  serious  and  thoughtful  faces.  It  was 
evident  that  their  minds  were  ill  at  ease,  that  something 
was  pressing  heavily  on  their  hearts  ;  and  especially  was 
this  the  case  with  the  Captain,  who  said,  in  a  solilo(|uiz- 
ing  way — 

"This  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  old  song,  of  the  neat 
little  cottage  with  the  ground  for  the  floor.  This,  I  must 
say,  is  a  neat  cottage  ind(!ed  !  IIow  it  can  in  any  way 
ha  made  fit  for  human  beings  to  dwell  in,  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  tell." 

Then  turning  to  his  wife,  with  a  melancholy  smile  on 
his  face,  he  said — 

"My  dear  Eliza,  where  will  you  place  your  piano,  and 
where  shall  we  put  the  library  ?  I  must  tell  you  can- 
didly, my  dear,  that  I  begin  to  be  afraid  we  have  missed 
our  way  ;  tliat  we  did  not  give  ourselves  time  to  reflect — 
to  view  things  as  they  are — to  think  coolly  and  calmly  ; 
that  we  acted  upon  the  spur  of  the  moment,  and  were 
too  much  under  the  influence  of  our  imagination.  We 
were  captivated  by  the  thrift  and  domestic  peace  and 
comfort  of  Captain  Baldwin  and  his  family.  And  then 
we  thought  it  would  be  something  great  and  respect- 


168 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


able  to  have  a  farm  of  a  thousand  acres,  and  be  able  to 
lead  an  independent  and  happy  life.  We  have  a  farm, 
indeed,  and  it  may  be  a  thousand  acres  for  aught  1 
know  ;  but  I  know,  too,  that  there  is  not  the  thousaudtli 
part  of  one  acre  on  which  we  might  raise  a  single 
mess  of  vegetables,  or  even  herbs  sufficient  to  render 
savory  a  single  pot  of  soup,  without  the  expenditure  of 
great  toil  and  a  good  amount  of  cash.  I  feel,  at  this 
moment,  like  a  fish  out  of  water.  I  am  out  of  my  proper 
place.  It  seems  as  though  I  had  awoke  from  a  deep 
sleep,  a  bewildering  dream  ;  and  now  that  I  am  come  to 
this  state  of  consciousness,  I  think  I  see  things  in  tlieir 
true  liglit,  and  as  I  see  them,  I  feel  confounded.  I  see 
now  that  we  have  taken  the  entire  direction  of  our 
affairs  into  our  own  hands,  and  have  left  the  path  in 
which  a  kind  Providence  had  placed  us,  and  for  which 
our  edncatiiin  and  habits  of  life  had  fitted  and  prepared 
us.  We  were  perplexed  and  frightened  with  a  compar- 
atively few  unpleasant  trials  and  difficulties  with  whirl) 
that  path  was  strewn  ;  but  now  we  are  in  a  path  in 
which  we  find  real  troubles,  and  in  which,  I  am  afraid, 
we  shall  meet  insurmountable  difficulties.  Unfitted  as 
we  are  by  education  and  habit  for  the  labors  and  duties 
that  will  be  demanded  of  us,  I  feel  that  the  prospect  be- 
fore us  is  at  once  gloomy  and  disheartening.  Sur- 
rounded, too,  by  a  herd  of  untutored  and  uncouth  boins 
— I  had  almost  said  savages — both  young  and  old,  my 
dear  Eliza,  my  patience  is  nearly  (;xhausted,  althougli  I 
have  been  so  short  a  time  amongst  them.  But  as  all 
other  avenues,  save  the  one  we  have  chosen,  appear 
closed  against  us,  we  are  denied  the  liberty  o^f  choice. 
But  were  it  otherwise,  what  an^  we  fit  for,  either  in  the 


woman's  endurance. 


169 


?piived 
)iupar- 
wlii*li 
til  in 
liVaid, 
eel  as 
duties 
cct  be- 
Siir- 

b<)(,il'rt 
Ul,  my 

)Ugll   I 

as  all 
appeal' 
choice. 

ill  the 


(lopartments  of  manual  or  mcMital  eniployment  ?  Tho 
niochanic,  by  continual  toil,  procures  a  comfortable  snit- 
sistenco  for  himself  and  family.  Tiie  patient  drud<2''^ 
cooped  up  in  his  little  store,  begins  lil'e  witli  small  caj 
ital,  and,  by  successiv<;  turnings  of  his  penny,  eventu- 
ally attains  to  competence  and  a  resp(!ctable  position 
auKJUg-  his  fellow-men.  Happy  men  !  Alas  !  at  this 
moment  I  am  almost  led  to  envy  the  day-laborer,  with 
pick  and  spade,  pursuing  his  allotted  toil,  who,  albtnt 
his  earnings  are  small,  yet  has  robust  health,  witli  sound 
and  refreshing  sleep  at  night.'' 

"  My  dear  Robert,"  said  his  wife,  "you  are  at  this 
moment  in  a  morbid  state  of  mind — you  are  looking  at 
things  on  their  dark  side.  How  do  you  know  but  that 
Providence  has  had  very  much  to  do  in  bringing  us  to 
this  place,  and  putting  us  in  our  present  })osition  ?  For 
there  are  iiigher  and  vastly  more  important  duties  and 
labors  iian  the  menial  or  even  the  mental  avocations 
ol"  life  ;  and  a  class  of  mind  with  clear  moral  jx-rcep- 
tions  and  convictions,  and  a  strong  s(mse  of  duty,  is  n;- 
(pn'red  to  occupy  that  position  and  to  perform  that  work. 
My  dear  husband,"  said  she,  "  we  have  been  led  by  a 
train  of  circumstances  and  events  which  it  would  bo 
hard  to  undo  ;  it  would  indeed  be  difficult,  if  not  utt(3rly 
impossible,  for  us  to  retrace  our  steps.  If  this  be  tlu; 
ease,  then  would  it  not  l)e  the  part  of  tru(i  wisdoni  and 
high  manly  courage  to  awake  still  more  to  your  present 
moral  position,  and  arouse  yourself  still  further  to  youi- 
present  duties  and  high  responsibilities  ?  You  seem  to 
bewail  your  lot  in  life,  tiiat  you  have  not  the  kind  of 
talent  and  the  physical  hardihood  that  is  required  in 
this  place  ;  and  thus  ycm  ([uail  before  the  magnitude  of 

8 


170 


TlIK    BLACK    phantom;    OR, 


tlic  labor  buCoro  you.     Yon  arc  Kupposiiig-  thiol  you  are 
niifitted  to  fell   trees  in   this   forest  ;    that  you   caTinot 
wield  the  axe  ;  that  you  cannot  cultivate  the  soil  ;  and 
tliat  you  cannot  phmt,  and  sow,  and  reap.     The  dark, 
and    dense,    and    tangled   woods   alarm  you  ;    you   are 
measuring'  your  strength  with  those  giant,  massive  oaks, 
with  tJK'ir  gnarled  and  knotty  trunks  ;    and  then  yon 
suppose   tliat  this  cabin,  built  of  such  rough  material, 
and  of  such  rude  workmansliip,  is  unfit  fo'.*  a  habitation. 
It  is  my  impression  that  there  is  a  denser  and  ranker 
growtli  of  moral   evils  to  be  eradicated,  comparea   to 
which   this  dense   and  tangletl   forest   presents   but   a 
vague  and  faint  idea  of  labor.     The  woodman  may,  witii 
his  axe,  his  strong  muscU?,  and  determined  will,  make 
sure  headway  with  his  work  in  felling"  these  trees.     But 
what  are  his   labor  and   its  results,  compared  with  the 
mightier  and  nobler  task  of  operating  on  the  mass  of 
mind  that  we  saw  here  yesterday,  and  with  which  you 
were  so  much   displeased  ?     And  then  you  seem  to  de- 
spair of  this  building  ev(;r  being  made  sufficiently  coni- 
fortablt;,  or  even  fit  to  dwell  in.     Why,  my  dear  Robert, 
you  may  hew,  and  paint,  and  beautify  the  roughest  and 
most  unsha|)ely  log  that  forms  a  part  of  this  cabin,  and 
by  labor,  with   skill,  render  the  whole  building  one  of 
comfort  and  convenience.     Yet  how  impotent  is  human 
zeal,  intelligence,  and  labor,  in   the   great  task  of  pre- 
paring the  ignorant,  rough,  and  uncouth  beings  we  had 
liere  last  night  to  become  tit  temples  for  the  Holy  Ghost 
to  dwell  in  1     But  what  is  impossible  to  man  is  possible 
with  God.     We  know  that  He  makes  use  of  human  in- 
strumentality and  agency  to  accomplish   His  purposes. 
And   if  we  should  be  so  far  honored  as  to  be  made  His 


,() 


YOU 

to  de- 
coiu- 
bert, 
t  :iud 
,  ;iud 
)iie  of 
miniui 
)f  pre- 
e  liiid 
Ghost 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


171 


instniinents  in  onlif^htcning'  and  savin<;-  ont^  of  those 
])rcci()UKS,  pric(dess,  bh)od-boii.tj^ht,  deathk'ss  spirits,  God 
would  bo  more  plcas(;d,  ang'els  wi'l  I.?.v(^  more  cause  to 
rejoice,  and  we  ourselves,  in  time  and  eternity,  shall 
recollect  the  event  witli  more  real  and  substantial  do 
light,  than  if  you  had  with  one  swoop  levelled  this  entire 
forest." 

**  Now,  my  dear  Robert,  it  is  well  to  have  a  clear  view 
of  one's  mission  ;  and,"  said  she,  looking  her  husband 
steadily  in  the  face,  "  Robert,  can  you  have  any  doubt 
of  yours  ;  or  can  you  pl(?ad  as  an  excuse  a  want  of 
talent,  or  in  any  way  an  unfitness,  to  go  forth  with  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit — the  all-i»()werful  wea])on  of  Divine 
truth — to  cut  down  and  clear  away  the  tall  and  strong 
trees  of  error,  and  uproot  the  thick  and  tangled  under- 
growth of  vice  ;  and,  under  Divine  aid  and  influence,  to 
labor  to  so  cleanse,  liuild  up,  and  beautify  thesi;  souls,  so 
as  to  render  them  habitations  for  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  to 
endeavor  to  break  up  the  fallow-ground  of  their  hearts, 
and  to  plant  and  sow  the  seeds  of  every  virtue  ?  Now 
what  do  you  say,  Robert — will  you,  like  Jonah,  flee  from 
your  responsibilities,  and  thus  incur  the  Divine  dis- 
l)leasure,  deterred  from  tlieir  pei'f(jrmance  by  diflHculties, 
or  frightened  by  their  magnitude  ?  Or  will  you  say 
with  the  great  Apostle,  '  None  of  these  things  move  me, 
Jioither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  me,  so  that  I  may  win 
souls  to  Christ?'" 

At  the  close  of  this  warm  and  impassioned  address, 
the  Captain  stood  before  his  wife  as  though  spell-bound  : 
after  musing  for  a  few  moments,  he  said — 

"  My  dear  Eliza,  you  have  touched  the  right  chord  in 
my  heart.     I  was  wandering  away  ;    I  was  forgetting 


172 


THE   BLACK   phantom;   or, 


myself ;  but  you  h.ave,  by  your  clear  Htatemnnt  of  m^ 
work,  my  duties,  and  liigii  responsibilities,  brought  me 
back  to  a  state  of  mind  proper  for  their  due  performance  ; 
though  you  liave  not  at  all  dinn'nished  the  magnitucU;  of 
the  work  to  which  I  alluded,  nor  shown  my  ability  to 
be  adequate  to  its  accomplishment.  Yet,  you  have 
shown  me  where  my  real  streng-tli  is  to  be  drawn  from  ; 
and  you  have  opened  up  a  new  ticld  of  thought,  and 
given  abundant  food  for  reflection.  I  trust  I  shall  hencc;- 
forth  not  only  be  diligent  in  the  business  of  life,  but 
likewise  fervent  in  spirit,  and  endeavor  to  carry  out 
your  suggestions,  and  enter  every  open  door  that  may 
be  presented  where  good  may  be  done  ;  and  that,  de- 
^jending  on  our  blessed  Lord,  I  shall  be  more  determined 
than  ever  to  go  forth,  making  mention  of  His  righteouy- 
ness,  and  His  only." 

After  this,  there  was  no  liTinging  back  from  dut}"^,  and 
no  shrinking  from  the  heaviest  cross-b(!aring.  Oh ! 
happy  the  man  who  has  such  a  wife  as  was  Mrs.  Wal- 
ters, to  stand  by  him  in  his  dark  moments  ;  to  urge  him 
on  in  the  rigiit ;  to  counsv  1  and  lovingly  assist  him  in 
all  the  onerous  duties  of  life  !  The  Captain  now  felt 
that  the  best  place  for  him  was,  where  he  might  be  the 
means  of  accomplishing  the  greatest  amount  of  good, 
both  by  precept  and  example.  A.nd  surely  there  was  full 
scope  for  his  largest  desires  in  the  settlement  in  which 
lui  hail  cast  his  lot,  for  the  families  there  were  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd. 


woman's  endurance. 


173 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

He  now  set  to  work,  with  a  right  good-will,  to  reiid(>r 
his  new  home  as  comfortable  as  the  nature  of  thin-H 
would  admit.  All  the  party  had  learned  to  accomnro- 
(late  themselves  to  circumstances. 

The  Captain  engaged  men  to  cut  down  tlie  trees,  and 

clear  a  large  space,  and  prepare  it  for  a  crop.     He  made 

arrangements  with  a  carpenter  to  erect  a  conmiodi,.us 

ramehouse,  with  suitable  out-buildings,  from  drawings 

he  had  himself  executed. 

A  few  days  after  the  erection  of  the  log-cabin,  the 
Captain  was  observing  the  men  at  work  felling  trees  and 
clearing  a  space  of  ground  for  a  garden,  when  he  saw 
Obadiah  Crooks  coming  towards  him.  The  Captain  ad- 
vanced to  meet  him,  and  greeted  him  by  a  right  hearty 
shake  of  the  hand,  and  a  warm  and  friendly  salutation- 
presenting  a  perfect  contrast  to  the  cold  and  formal  ap- 
proaches of  the  Quaker.  Obadiah,  taking  a  glance  at 
the  cabin,  and  at  the  men  at  work,  said— 

"I  see,  friend  Walters,  thee  has' been  making  a  little 
progress.  I  sent  my  yoke  of  oxen,  with  a  man  to  drive 
them,  to  assist  thee  in  the  raising  of  thy  cabin  :  I  trust 
thee  was  pleased  with  the  way  iu  whicli  they  did  thy 
work."  '' 

The  Captain  was  warm  in  his  acknowledgments  of 
the  kindness  of  Obadiah,  and  praised  highly  the  way  in 


174 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


which  the  oxen  ana  their  driver  had  gone  through  theii 
day's  work  ;  wlien  Obadiali  said — 

"  Friend  Walters,  will  it  he  agr(;eab]e  to  tluMJ  to  take 
a  walk  a  little  way  with  me  in  this  direction  ?"  pointinj;- 
to  a  part  oi'  the  woods  wlu.'rf  the  eight  horses  were 
grazing  on  the  scanty  supply  of  grass,  or  browsing  on 
the  low  and  tender  branclu's  of  the  trees. 

When  the  Captain  and  Obadiah  had  got  a  little  way 
from  the  men  at  work,  as  already  alluded  to,  one  of 
them  ill-naturedly  said — 

"  Tom  Wilson  said,  '  Cro(jk  has  got  our  new  master 
in  tow,  and  he'll  bleed  him  as  sure  as  my  name's  Tom.'" 

The  Quaker  had  already  been  looking  at  the  horses, 
very  narrowly  and  closely  noticing  all  their  points,  for 
he  was  a  thorough  judge  of  horse-flesh.  And  to  say  the 
truth,  he  was  no  less  a  judge  of  human  nature  ;  for  he 
knew  well  all  the  arts  by  which  the  cunning  and  un- 
scrupulous man  lures  his  victim  into  his  toils.  But  after 
all,  to  speak  truth,  Obadiah  was  a  good  man,  as  a 
general  thing  :  it  v/as  only  where  there  was  any  bar- 
gain-making on  hand,  that  an  all-grasping  seKishness 
gained  the  mastery  over  him.  Coming  up  with  the 
horses,  Obadiah  said — 

"  Fri(nid  Walters,  I  suppose  thee  finds  that  mj^  words 
were  true,  that  thy  horses  will  prove  a  great  encum- 
l)rance  to  thee.  Ilast  thou  thought  of  any  way  of  dis- 
p(jsing  of  them  ?" 

"AVhy,  no,"  said  the  Captain  ;    "I  should  not  like  to. 
part  with   my  horses,   they  are   such  yvA-y  choice  ones. 
You  see  that  they  are  of  the  pure  Normandy  breed  :  3^ou 
can  tell  that  by  their  snuill  head,  short,  thick-set  neck, 
and  clean,  strong  limbs.     And  then  it  will  not  be  very 


vmmryrT7r:r;f^ 


woman's    endurance. 


175 


expencive  to  keep  thein,  even  should  T  liiiv^e  to  purcluiBO 
their  food  throuj^h  th(!  winter,  as  tliey  will  nuiintain 
their  present  <^'()od  CDiidition  on  very  litlle  teed," 

The  remarks  of  the  Captain,  and  especially  those  in 
praise  of  his  horses,  had  made  a  de(!p  impression  on 
Obadiah's  mind  ;  and  although  he  maintained  a  cold  iiii- 
passiveness  in  his  manner,  yet  his  eyes  twinkled  and 
snapped  again,  as  he  continued,  looking  ;i:  the  tine 
animals — 

"  All  that  thou  says  may  be  very  true  ;  but  thee  sees 
that  a  less  number  than  eight  horses  will  serve  thy 
purpose  for  some  years  to  come.  And  tlx^n,"  continued 
Obadiah,  "  thee  must  have  at  the  least  one  yoke  of  oxen, 
as  thee  will  find  that  horses  are  not  steady  enough  to 
work  in  the  bush,  as  that  kind  of  work  will  harass  them, 
and  fret  them  to  death  ;  so  that,  as  1  say,  thee  nmst 
have  one  yoke  of  oxen," 

"  Well,"  said  the  Captain,  "  I  suppose  that  I  must  have 
some  ox(ni,  as  you  say  ;  they  are  better  adai)tt!d  for  th(i 
work  in  the  bush  by  their  patient  drudgery  than  hors(!s, 
and  I  might  then,  as  you  ;u!-,',  do  with  a  ^<jss  number 
than  eight  horses." 

"  That  is  just  so,"  sr  id  the  Quaker,  at  the  same  time 
drawing  nearer  to  the  Captain  ;  and  lowering  his  v(jice 
with  an  apparently  confiding  look  and  manner,  he  con- 
tinued— 

"  Friend  Walters,  I  shall  have  it  in  ni^-  power  to  do 
thee  many  a  kindness,  and  in  many  ways,  ;iiid  1  have  a 
str(jng  wish  to  be  a  good  neighbor  with  thee.  J  h;i\f 
been  thinking,  as  I  have  two  yok(;  of  very  line  young 
oxen,  I  will  let  thee  have  my  best  yoke  for  that  span  of 
horses" — at  the  same  time  pointing  to  the  span  of  horses 


f 


176 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


he  had  ahcady  selected  from  the  lot — "  thee  knows  that 
my  oxen  are  youn^^^  and  strong." 

The  Captain  looked,  first  at  the  Quaker  and  then  at 
the  horses,  and  then  back  at  the  Quak(3r,  as  if  in  great 
perplexity.     At  length  he  said — 

"  But,  Mr.  Crooks,  I  do  not  know  what  my  horses 
would  sell  for  in  this  neigld)orhood,  and  I  am  quite  as 
ign(jrant  of  the  value  of  your  oxen." 

"  That  may  be  all  very  true,"  said  the  acute  Obadiah  ; 
"  but  thee  can  judge  which  will  do  thy  work  in  the  bush 
th(i  best,  and  so  give  thee  the  most  satisfaction." 

Finally,  after  much  chaffering,  the  Captain,  though 
not  very  willingly,  acceded  to  the  wishes  of  the  wily 
Quaker,  who  depm'ted  with  the  span  of  horses  for  the 
yoke  of  oxen — the  former  of  a  value,  at  the  least,  thrice 
that  of  the  oxen. 

This  transaction  was  soon  noised  abroad  throusfhout 
the  Concession,  and  very  freely  commented  on,  in  every 
variety  of  language  and  spirit  ;  though  it  was  plain  that 
the  best-disposed  individual  in  the  neighborhood,  while 
blaming  the  overreaching  spirit  of  Ol)adiah,  would  have 
had  no  objection  to  making  the  same  exchange,  could 
he  have  had  the  same  favorable  chance.  But,  wisdom 
is  seldom  good  till  it  is  bought  :  and  so  it  proved  in  this 
case  ;  for,  dearly  bought  though  it  was,  it  turned  out  to 
be  a  valuable  lesson  to  the  Captain.  While  it  proved 
that  he,  from  his  inexperience  and  simplicity,  was  no 
match  for  the  keen  trading  propensities  of  his  neighbors, 
it  placed  him  fully  on  his  guard.  He  ever  aftet"  made  it 
a  standing  rule  never  to  trade  with  any  one  in  the  Con- 
cession in  the  way  of  barter  ;  but,  if  lie  was  in  want  of 
any  article,  be  it  food  or  whatever  else,  to  take  it  at  its 

«9 


'*WWf9MWMfi!ra5WS'«^e«tar'w 


woman's  endurance.  177 

cash  value  and  pay  for  it  on  the  spot.  The  same  rule 
he  observed  when  he  had  any  thing  to  dispose  of.  In 
this  way  he  soon  established  a  character  for  strai-'ht- 
torward,  honest  dealing.  ° 


8* 


ii 


178 


THE     BLACK     PHANTOM;     OH, 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


As  the  Captain  had,  from  the  very  firbt  Sabbath  after 
leaving  Montreal,  appropriated  that  day  to  its  proper 
sanctified  use,  so  he  continued  to  do  now  that  he  was 
settled  in  his  new  liome  in  the  bush.  And,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Mrs.  Walters,  who  said  that  they  did  not 
wish  to  eat  their  morsel  alone,  the  canvas  tent  was 
fitted  up  with  desk  and  seats,  for  the  accommodation  of 
any  one  of  the  neighbors  who  might  feel  disposed  to 
join  with  them  in  their  Sabbath  exercises.  The  very 
novelty  of  the  thing  was  a  sufficient  attraction  to  many, 
who  came  to  see  and  hear  what  new  thing  had  come 
among  them  ;  and  then,  the  majority  who  came  were 
especially  delighted  with  the  singing.  But,  as  for  the 
weiglity  and  important  truths  that  weie  enunciated  by 
the  Captain,  though  delivered  with  afFectionate  fervor, 
and  addressed  home  to  the  heart  with  great  force  and 
point,  they  were  listened  to  with  impatience  by  the  gap- 
ing and  wondering  company. 

But,  notwithstanding  this  unpropitious  state  of  things, 
the  meetings  were  continued  for  a  number  of  weeks, 
though  tiie  mindd  of  many  who  participated  tliereiu 
seemed  to  l)e  utterly  impervious  to  moral  or  religious 
impressions.  One  day,  liowever,  late  in  tiie  aft(;rnooii, 
the  wife  of  Sam  Harkfu*  came  to  rccpiest  the  Captain  1o 
go  with  her  to  see  her  husband  ;  saying  he  was  sick, 


light( 


woman's  endurance. 


179 


and  at  the  samo  time  expressing"  serious  apprehensions 
tliat  he  was  "losing  his  head  ;"  that  for  some  time  he 
had  had  scarcely  any  sleep  at  night,  yet  was  lialf  asleep 
through  the  day  ;  that  he  weiit  moping  ahout,  and  talk- 
ing to  himself  in  a  most  awful  way  ;  that  sIk.-  had  nwcr. 
or  twice  caught  him  on  his  knees,  or  laying  at  full 
length  on  the  ground  behind  some  busiies,  and  for  the 
life  of  her  she  C(mld  not  g-et  a  sensible  word  out  of  him  ; 
and  he  was  moaning  and  crying  'most  all  the  time.  And 
she  wanted  the  Captain  to  come  and  see  him,  as  he 
was  a  very  knowledgeable  man,  for  she  could  not  tell 
what  in  the  world  was  the  matter  with  him  herself. 

The  Captain  smiled  at  the  simplicity  of  the  woman's 
narration,  and,  truly  surmising  the  real  nature  of  the 
bodily  and  mental  malady  of  her  husband,  unhesitatingly 
accompanied  her  to  her  h(une.  When  he  ai-rived  at  the 
place,  he  found  Sam  in  a  wretched  state  of  mind  :  his 
heart  had  been  stricken,  and  the  strong  man  bowed  be- 
fore the  stroke.  He  felt  unable  to  account  for,  or  to 
explain  the  nature  of  his  malady,  or  the  state  of  liis 
mind  :  he  could  only  say  he  had  been  a  bad  man  all  his 
life,  that  he  felt  sure  of  going  to  hell,  and  knew  that  he 
d(!served  it.  The  Captain  found  him  excessively  ig"no- 
rant,  but  adapting,  as  near  as  he  could,  his  remarks  to 
th(^  man's  capacity  and  present  state  of  mind,  he  sought 
to  explain  to  him  the  way  of  salvation,  pointing  out  to 
him  that  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  just  such  as 
he,  for  He  came  to  save  sinners  ;  and  after  reading  to 
him  portions  of  the  word  of  Cod  suited  io  his  cusc,  uiid 
spending  a  short  tiriH!  in  ])rayer,  left  hini  lo  tlu'  lurthcr 
workings  of  his  own  mind,  and  <'■  IIk'  Icudiiig  and  en- 
lightening intlu(:nc4'K  of  th.'  Holy  S)»n'i» 


180 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


On  the  day  after  the  above  occurrence  the  wife  of 
Torn  Wilson  came  to  the  Ca])tain,  in  a  very  disconsolate 
state,  dcclariiiij  that  sonietliini^  very  bad  was  come  over 
her  man  ;  that  she  thouiC^ht  he  was  surely  Inny  ;  that  he 
said  tliat  God  was  awful  cross  with  him,  and  that  the 
devil  was  g'oing'  to  be  no  use  to  hiin  no  more,  and  he 
warn't  g'oiiii?  to  be  no  use  to  the  devil,  any  how  you  can 
fix  it. 

"  Oh,  sir,"  said  she,  "  he  is  in  a  awfu'  bad  way  ;  he's 
a'  the  time  doin'  the  wrang  thinf^  first  and  the  first  thing 
wrang,  so  yo'  see  that  things  are  out  a'  round." 

"  Well,"  said  the  Captain,  "  shall  I  go  and  see  your 
husband,  Mrs.  Wilson  ?" 

"  Oil,  golly,  no  !"  said  she,  "for  he  ain't  at  a'  pleased 
wi'  yo'  ;  for  he  said  that  yo'  talked  a'  about  him  in  yer 
pr(iach  last  Sunday.  And  that  he  knowed  that  Jim 
Koborts  had  bin  tellin'  yo'  a'  about  him  ;  but  he  says 
yo's  a  mighty  smart  man." 

"  Well,  if  that  is  the  case,"  said  the  Captain,  "  I  owe 
it  to  my  own  character  to  go  and  see  your  husband,  and 
at  the  same  time  I  can  vindicate  Mr.  Roberts.  The  fact 
is,  Mrs.  Wilson,  your  liusband  now  sees  himself  in  a 
glass  that  he  has  never  looked  into  before,  and  he  is 
alarmed  at  what  it  shows  him." 

"  Oh,  no,  sir,  that  ain't  so,  cause  we  ain't  got  only  one 
glass  i'  the  shanty,  and  that's  a'  broke  !" 

"  But  that  is  not  what  I  mean,  Mrs.  Wilson,"  said  the 
Captain  ;  "  I  mean  that  the  Divine  Spirit  is  enlightening 
his  judgment,  and  alarming  his  conscience,  by  holding 
up  before  his  newly-open(;d  mind  the  puritj''  of  the  Divine 
law,  and  showing  how  he  has  exposed  himself  to  its  con- 
demnation by  having  broken  its  enactments." 


woman's  endurance. 


181 


"Well,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson,  "we  ain't  got  no  larnin' 
here  i'  the  bush,  but  maybe  a'  yo'  say  is  just  so." 

The  Captain  went  with  Mrs.  Wilsoiv  to  see  her  man, 
as  she  called  lier  husband,  and  found  him  under  deep 
convictions  of  soul  for  sin. 

Wilson  seemed  much  surprised  to  hear  that  the  Cap- 
tain liad  not  spoken  on  the  last  Sabbath  from  any  special 
personal  knowledge  of  his  case,  and  that  neither  Rob- 
erts nor  any  other  person  had  had  any  communication 
with  him  on  the  subject. 

One  very  remarkable  circumstance  made  a  deep  im- 
pression on  the  mind  of  the  Captain — namely,  that  not 
only  was  there  a  great  change  in  the  manner  and  con- 
duct of  these  two  noted  men,  from  the  wild,  reckless 
abandonment  that  had  so  olHonded  him  when  he  first  saw 
them  ;  but  their  softened  countenances  and  subdued 
spirits,  evidenced  a  transformation  of  the  inner  man  to 
such  an  extent  that  they  would  hardly  be  recognized  as 
the  same  men. 

After  talking,  reading,  and  praying  with  Wilson,  he 
turned  his  steps  towards  his  home.  His  own  soul  deeply 
iiul)ued  with  the  spirit  of  his  Divine  Master,  with  ardent, 
g-rateful  emotions  he  cried  out :  "  What  hath  God 
wrought  !"  These  things  were  no  less  gratifying  to 
Mrs.  Walters  than  they  had  been  to  her  husband.  Jones 
and  Brown  united  with  their  wives  in  a  full  chorus  of 
glory  to  God  for  His  marvellous  goodness.  Our  old 
friend  Baptiste  had  also  come  to  know  the  value  of  ex- 
perimental religion.  Thus,  the  whoh;  of  our  company, 
linn  in  faith  and  ardent  worshippers,  wore  continual  in 
prayers,  unitedly  and  singly,  in  private  and  in  public, 
beseeching  God   to  deepen,  extend,  and  continue   His 


182 


THE     BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


work  ill  His  own  way,  irrospectivo  of  the  meanness  or 
ignorance  of  the  inHtnnnentality  emph)ye(L 

On  the  following  Sabbath,  at  the  stated  time  of  meet- 
ing, a  greater  number  of  hearers  assembled  than  over 
b«ifore.  But  that  was  not  all  :  so  great  attentiiju  was 
paid  to  the  speaker,  there  was  such  a  drinking  in  of  ihv 
word  si)oken — this  reacting  on  the  mind  and  manner  ol' 
the  speaker — that  a  sympathy  was  felt,  a  sense  of  the 
Divine  power  and  presence,  such  as  was  ex}jerience(l 
when,  in  the  days  of  old,  God  appeared  to  be  vindicating 
his  own  name.  Sinners  were  pricked  to  the  heart,  and 
pleaded  earnestly  for  mercy.  One  remarkable  feature 
iu  this  scene  was,  that  Tom  Wilson  and  Sam  Barker, 
with  faces  radiant  with  smiles,  were  actively  and 
earnestly  employed  in  going  from  penitent  to  penitent, 
endeavoring,  iu  their  simple  way,  to  direct  them  to 
Jesus. 

What  a  striking  and  delightful  contrast  this  scene 
presented,  to  that  of  the  day  on  which  the  bee  was  called 
to  erect  the  log-cabin  !  But  such  is  the  change  the  gos- 
p(}l  invariably  produces,  when  it  has  free  course  and  is 
glorified  ;  when  it  is  divested  of  the  clumsy  and  cum- 
bering machinery — the  contrivances  of  short-sighted 
man.  This  appealed  to  be  the  beginning  of  good  days, 
but  oh  !  how  often  are  our  brightest  prospects  and 
sweetest  hopes  blighted — ending  in  disappointment  1 
■  Captain  Walters  had  for  some  time  exhibited  indica- 
tions of  failing  health,  which,  sensible  as  he  was  of  his 
physical  condition,  he  endeavored  to  screen,  if  possilile, 
from  the  observation  of  his  wife.  But  her  eye,  willi 
dedicate  scrutiny,  penetrated  the  secret ;  yet  she  hid  her 
fears  from   licr  liusliaiid,  and  (jnly  exhibited  her  anxiety 


»-' 


WOMAJS'S    ENDURANCE. 


183 


ailed 
gus- 
iiid  is 
cuiu- 
hted 
days, 
and 
tl 
dica- 
f  his 
;sil)lo, 
vvilli 
id  her 
ixicty 


by  increased  tenderness,  and  attention  to  all  his  wants 
and  wishes.  Though  she  ever  approached  him  with 
loving  words  and  winning  smiles,  many  were  the  tears 
she  shed  in  secret  on  his  acconnt. 

The  Captain,  notwithstanding  his  feeble  health,  con- 
tinned  in  labors  more  abnndant.  His  frame  honse  and 
out-buildings  were  urged  rapidly  to  completion,  as  lie 
wished  to  occupy  them  before  the  severe  weather  of 
winter  set  in.  He  had  also  a  number  of  men  at  work 
felling  trees  on  his  land.  As  it  would  be  too  late  to 
burn  the  logs  that  season,  green  as  they  were,  he  was 
advised  t(j  have  them  aloMhed  that  fall  and  through  the 
winter.  The  Captain,  at  a  loss  to  know  what  was  meant 
l)y  slashing^  was  informed  tiiat  it  was  merely  to  cut  down 
the  trees,  aiid  let  them  lie  just  where  they  fell  :  not  to 
lose  time  in  lopping  off  the  bougiis  or  cntting  up  the 
trunks  into  log-lengths,  but  to  allow  them  time  to  dry 
as  they  lay :  then,  early  in  the  spring,  to  cut  them  up, 
and  form  them  into  winrows,  so  that  he  might  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  first  spell  of  fine,  dry  weather,  to  burn 
them  off 

But  what  appeared  to  exert  an  influence  the  most 
absorbing  on  the  minds  of  Captain  Walters  and  his  wife 
was  the  spiritual  well-being  of  their  neighbors  ;  and  if 
ever  laborers  in  their  Lord's  vineyard  had  cause  to  ac- 
knowledge the  hand  of  G(jd  in  their  work.  Captain  and 
Mrs.  Walters  undoubtedly  had.  They  lelt  the  tremen- 
dous importance  of  their  high  mission.  In  his  view  tiie 
sacred  desk  was  not  designed  to  be  an  arena  in  which 
to  exhibit  any  of  the  cla})-traps  of  the  mere  orator,  for 
the  purpose  of  creating  a  sensation.  Nor  was  i\\v  Cap- 
tain  like  the  ))seu(lo-(Jivine,   who  fritters  away  his   pie- 


184 


thp:  black  phantom;    or. 


cions  moments  in  the  diacussion  of  some  comparatively 
frivolous  point  of  school-divinity.  No  I  Well  read, 
and  tlioroughly  versed  in  the  divine  word,  he  made  tlmt 
the  man  of  his  counsel,  and  the  armory  out  of  which  to 
select  his  most  pot(»nt  weapf)ns.  The  bnrning",  fiery, 
(lashinj^  missiles  that  he  threw  anum^st  his  hearers  were 
the  wcng-hty  trutiis  of  revelation.  Salvation,  throngli 
the  all-atoning"  blood  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  was  the 
theme  on  which  he  delighted  to  dwell,  and  of  which  he 
never  tired.  True  it  was,  he  had  not  been  licensed,  nor 
had  he  received  his  commission  from  man,  or  been  or- 
dained by  those  high  in  clerical  office.  It  was  the 
finger  of  God  that  had  written  the  divine  law  upon  his 
heart,  and  the  inspiration  of  His  Holy  Spirit  that  had 
opened  up  before  his  willing  and  inquiring  mind  the 
precious  truths  of  revelation  ;  and  thus  inspired  and 
equipped,  many  were  the  wounded,  and  the  slain,  and 
the  healed,  through  his  instrumentality,  in  his  short  but 
eventful  Christian  warfare.  He  had  balm  as  well  as 
bane  for  the  human  heart.  Yes  !  having  startled  the 
sinner's  soul  with  tlie  thunders  of  Sinai,  he  led  his 
stricken,  smitten,  and  bleeding  heart  penitent  to  Mount 
Zion. 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


185 


CHAPTER    XV. 


On  a  very  briglit  day  in  the  month  of  November, 
(luring  that  period  known  in  North  America  as  Indian 
summer — when  a  general  lull,  a  serene  quiet,  pervades 
all  nature,  with  scarcely  enough  breeze  to  stir  the-  tini- 
est twig — when  the  feathered  tenants  of  the  grove  have 
migrated  to  softer  climes  and  sunnier  skies — a  stranwr 
approached  the  new  habitation  of  Captain  Walters. 
Tile  Captain  was  at  that  moment  in  the  front  of  his  new 
dwelling,  giving  some  directions  regarding  a  picket- 
fence  which  two  men  were  employed  in  erecting.  On 
the  approach  of  the  stranger,  the  quick  (iye  of  the  Cap- 
tain could  discern  at  once  that  he  was  well-bred,  and 
he  soon  found  him  to  be  a  highly  educated  gentleman — 
a  very  rare  sight  in  that  place.  His  dress,  his  manners, 
his  words  of  introduction,  and  indeed  his  very  spirit,  as 
it  beamed  through  his  noble  countenance,  all  spoke  un- 
mistakably in  his  favor.  The  ease  of  the  gentleman 
was  exhibited  in  the  simple  movement  of  the  hand,  as  it 
was  put  forth  to  meet  the  free  and  hearty  salutation  f)f 
the  Captain.  It  required  but  a  short  time  for  two  intel- 
ligent and  well-instru  :ted  men  to  flow,  as  it  were,  into 
e;ich  other's  good  g  .ices.  But  this  was  especially  so, 
nnder  the  circumstances,  with  Captain  Walters,  who  of 
late  had  been  completely  cut  off  from  intercourse  with 


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186 


THE   BLACK  phantom;   or, 


Kuporior  iniiulK,  oxcoiitiii^  liis  own  wife.  In  this  rowpect 
lie  had  boen  lik(!  a  cliiiiiied  oau'lo,  or  a  j^iant  anion;^ 
dwarfs.  Tlie  cramped  and  tiny  niintls  of  (lioso  by  v/liom 
lie  was  siirroundod,  and  with  whom  ho  mu.sl  liold  miicli 
intorconrs*',  wore  clouded  hy  vag-uc  and  vulgar  preju- 
dices, and  all  their  action  prompted  and  urged  on  by  the 
low  incentiv(!S  ol"  sellishness.  It  is  true,  a  great  and 
salutary  change  had  been  efiected  in  the  moral  aspect 
of  things,  that  grace  had  in  a  g(K)d  degrcic  subdued  their 
passions  and  even  new-moulded  their  hearts  ;  but  it  was 
not  within  its  province  to  inform  and  expand  their  intel- 
lect. And  so  the  Captain,  while  he  rejoiced  in  the  evi- 
dences of  grace  around  him,  felt  deeply  the  need  of  asso- 
ciation with  some  congenial  intellect.  It  was  now  his 
great  good  fortune  to  meet  with  a  friend  such  as  he  bad 
been  wishing  for  ;  and  it  was  equally  gratifying  to  the 
stranger  that  Providence  had  directed  his  steps  to  the 
dwelling  of  this  estimable  couple. 

We  have  already  partially  indicated  the  general  ap- 
pearance of  th(!  stranger.  Tall  and  stoutly  formed,  he 
evidently  possessed  great  strength.  His  hair  was  long, 
straight,  and  bkick  ;  his  eye  black  and  piercing,  and 
restless  at  times  ;  his  forehead  high  and  broad,  with  the 
remainder  of  the  head  well  balanced  ;  the  color  of  his 
face  approaching  a  brown,  yet  with  mixture  of  a  whiter 
cast.  In  fact,  it  might  have  been  seen  from  the  general 
cast  of  his  features,  as  well  as  from  his  personal  appear- 
ance, that  he  was  of  Indian  descent,  and  one  of  nature'^ 
noblemen.  Without  further  noticing  his  personal  ap- 
pearance in  this  connection,  we  would  state  that  his 
father  was  an  Indian  chief,  and  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able men  of  his  day  and  nation — noted  at  once  for  nis 


woman's  endurance. 


187 


;7h()iM 
inncli 
prcjn- 
by  the 
[,t  and 
[ispect 
d  their 
it  "was 
r  intel- 
he  evi- 
)f  asBo- 
lovv  his 
be  had 
to  the 
s  to  the 

n'al  ai)- 
ined,  he 
IS  U)n^-, 
n^,  and 
Ivith  the 
of  hiri 
■winter 
iM-eneral 
a])l>ear- 
nalurc'ti 
Inal   :n>- 
Lhat  liiii^ 
Irenuirk- 
Ibr  iii^ 


bravery  in  war,  and  wise  counsel  in  poa(;e.  TTis  rnotl!(>r 
was  French,  and  liad  b(!en  the  wife  of  a  French  oflicer 
wlio  was  wounded  in  the  wars  willi  the  Indians,  and  in 
that  state  was  captured  by  tlieni,  to^'ctlier  witii  liis 
young  and  beautiful  wife,  who  evinced  her  love  by  her 
determination  not  to  leave  her  husband  under  such  v<'ry 
trying  circumstances.  During  the  confinement  of  tiie 
young  French  officer  by  his  wounds,  the  chiel'  of  the 
tribe  of  Indians  exhibited  more  than  ordinary  humanity 
and  intelligence,  and  was  at  once  assiduous  in  his  atten- 
tions and  gentle  in  his  spirit  towards  the  captive  ollicer 
and  his  amiable  spouse.  But  notwithstanding  the  sooth- 
ing presence  ol"  a  loving  wife,  and  all  the  remedies  that 
the  Indian  chief  could  apply,  his  wounds  at  length 
proved  fatal,  and  dying,  he  left  his  wife  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  red-man.  But  the  red-man's  breast,  as 
well  as  that  of  a  whiter  skin,  may  be  swayed  by  gen- 
tle emotions.  He  had  compassi(jn  ;  he  soothed  the  sor- 
rows of  his  fair  captive  ;  he  gained  her  confidence  by 
his  delicate  guardianship  of  her  honor  ;  and  feeling  safe 
ill  his  keeping,  she  confided  in  his  plighted  vows.  After 
this,  the  step  was  short  but  sure,  for  they  loved  ;  and 
when  two  hearts  are  thus  closely  knit,  seeming  incon- 
gruities are  lost  sight  of,  fv)r  the  union  of  hands  follows 
wliere  the  heart  leads  the  way.  In  the  course  of  time, 
the  result  of  this  union  was  the  birth  of  a  boy.  It  4night 
have  been  expected  that  this  boy  would  possess  and  ex- 
hibit some  of  the  g(;neral  traits  of  character  of  each  of 
his  parents  :  and  indeed  it  was  so  ;  for  the  vigor  of  the 
fath(U-'8  mind  and  person  was  strongly  marked  in  bin), 
and  this,  united  with  his  mother's  vivacity  and  spright' 
liness,  tended  to  produce  a  character  of  (iuit(!  an  original 


188 


THE     BLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


cast.  Very  early  in  life  there  were  dc.'veloped  tliat  dar- 
iiijTr  c()uraf2^(i  and  stronjjf  will,  toi^^cMlier  with  [)ersonal  dex- 
terity, that  soon  placed  him  at  the  head  and  far  in  tlie 
front  in  all  the  athletic  sjiortw  of  Indian  pastime  and 
l)ra<;tice,  lie  would  lead  the  way  in  the  hazardous  eii- 
terprise,  and  carry  away  the  palm  of  victory  from  older 
and  stronger  boys  than  himself.  lie  was,  thoug-h  so 
young,  always  alert  in  the  hunt  of  the  wild  beast  of  the 
forest,  and  the  celerity  of  his  movements  ever  placed 
him  first  in  the  chase.  Indeed,  it  appeared  that  h(!  pos- 
sessed all  the  germs  of  greatness,  that  n'quired  only  a 
congenial  soil  and  fostering  influences  to  mature.  And 
then  the  kindlier  feelings  and  emotions  of  the  heart  had 
no  small  share  in  softening  the  rougher  and  wilder  in- 
stincts of  his  nature  ;  so  tluit,  to  see  him  under  the 
influence  of  the  extremes  of  his  nature — of  his  dark  and 
turbulent  passions  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  his  better 
feelings  and  sentiments  on  the  other — one  could  scarcely 
be  persuaded  that  he  was  one  and  the  same  person. 
But  there  was  a  trait  in  his  character  that  gave  value 
and  force  to  all  the  rest — he  was  at  once  attentive  and 
obedient  to  his  mother,  and  she  exercised  unbounded  in- 
fluence over  him  for  good. 

Very  early  in  life,  this  boy  gave  marked  evidence  of 
sterling  mental  talent,  and  his  mother  being  a  woman  of 
cultivated  mind  and  high  attaiimients,  was  fully  capable 
of  nurturing  and  directing  the  aspirations  of  the  eager 
youth.  When  she  had  exhausted  all  her  own  intellec- 
tual resources,  her  boy  was  sent,  through  the  induenrc 
of  a  Catholic  priest,  to  the  Montreal  College,  where  he 
won  laurels,  and  established  a  name.  And  his  fame  as 
a  scholar,  and  a  youth  of  remarkable  shrewdness  and 


woman's  endurance. 


18!» 


dar- 
I  dcx- 

i  thf 
'  ami 

18    011- 

okler 

of  the 

placed 

w  pos- 

only  a 
Ami 

irt  liail 

der  iu- 

ier  tlio 

irk  and 

,  betti'i- 
ai'cely 
-,er«()ii. 
e  value 
vc  ami 
ded  in- 

Icnce  of 
oinau  of 
capable 
e  eajjjer 
intellee- 
idluenre 
rhcve  lie 
fame  as 
IC88  aud 


^roat  pnideiico,  beinc^  at  the  saino  timo  intiinatoly  fvc- 
(|naintc'd  with  the  French,  Eiijj:;lish,  and  Indian  lan- 
,t;-iia<^es,  clearly  pointed  iiim  out  as  an  elio-il.|(>  and  lit 
person  to  act  as  au^ent  of  the  Enj^lish  Govennnent  to 
the  v.iriouR  tribes  of  Indians  then  scattered  throuj^-h  Up- 
j)er  Canada.  So,  without  any  solicitations  on  his  own 
part,  at  the  close  of  his  colle|:?e  studies  he  was  selected 
hy  the  repiesentativea  of  the  British  Government,  and 
endowed  with  full  powers  as  chief  accent  and  superin- 
tendent of  all  the  Indian  tribes  in  Upper  Canada.  The 
office  itself  brouj:^ht  him  into  frequent  and  close  inter- 
course with  th<'  officers  of  the  g-overnment,  which  had 
tlie  tendency,  to,i^ether  with  the  polish  of  the  French 
manners  and  spirit,  that  he  had  drunk  in,  as  it  were, 
with  his  mother's  milk,  to  p;ive  a  high  degree  of  refine- 
ment to  his  general  deportment. 

The  native  goodness  of  his  own  heart  had  induced 
him  to  introduce  numy  ameliorations  into  his  charge,  so 
that  he  had  become  quite  a  popular  favorite  wlieri'ver 
his  name  and  work  had  become  known.  And  althongh 
we  have  introduced  him  as  a  stranger  perscjnally  to  (Jap- 
tain  Walters,  yet  his  fame  had  already  reached  there 
hefore  himself,  and  he  had  only  to  mention  his  name  to 
render  the  introduction  complete.  H(;,  too,  had  no  ucmmI 
to  be  informed  about  Captain  Walters  and  his  amiable 
and  very  excellent  wife,  for  he  had  already  heard  pleas- 
ing representations  of  their  present  doings,  as  well  as  oi' 
their  antecedents  while  residing  in  Montreal  ;  and  it  was 
owing  to  the  high  notions  lu;  had  formed  of  their  charac- 
UiY  that  he  had  thus  sought  this  interview  with  them  : 
and  he  ever  after  congratulated  himself  that  he  had 
heen   so  highly  favored   in    ft>nning  such   a  fri(Midship, 


r 


190 


TUE    BLACK    I'lIANTOii;     OR, 


\V(,'  would  say,  that  tl»e  Iiidiaii  name  of  this  yoiuij^ 
man's  father  was  indicativo  of  tlio  charact(!i"  that  ]n'. 
bor(3  in  liis  own  tribe  as  a  standi  and  nniiinching  war- 
rior, and  si<^nifi(!d,  "  Tlie  rock  tliat  breasts  the;  storm." 
His  mother's  name  was  Le  Chiir,  and  that  was  the  name 
given  to  her  son,  and  by  wliich  he  was  known.  And, 
as  Mr.  Le  Clair  resided  at  qnite  a  distance  from  tiie 
home  of  Captain  Walters,  and  being  on  this  da}'  of  his 
introduction  on  a  mission  of  some  importance,  he  had 
but  a  short  time  to  spend  with  them,  beyond  partakin;;- 
with  them  of  a  very  excellently  cooked  dinner  :  aftoi' 
which  he  took  his  leave,  with  many  and  pressing  invita- 
tions to  renew  his  visit,  and  prolong  his  stay  ;  which 
was  responded  to  with  strong  assurances  as  to  the  high 
degree;  of  pleasure  with  which  he  should  avail  himself 
of  the  privilege. 


MHMaXVIKUI.I'U    -IK  " 


W  O  M  A  N  S    E  N  D  U  H  A  N  C  E. 


191 


at  Ik' 
r  wai- 
tonn." 
!  iiaiiu' 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

On  the  day  after  t]i(3  visit  of  Mr.  Lo  Clair,  tlioro  worn 
two  visitors  who  in  character  and  personal   apjHsiraiico 
were  tin;  very  opposites  of  that  j^entleman.     TheK<;  were 
a  d(!crepid  .'ind  aji^ed  female,  accompanied   by  a  no  less 
infirm  old  man,  with  clotlu's   mnch  the  worse  for  wear. 
They  slowly  approached  the  honse,  scrntini/.inji;  the  sur- 
ronndinfi;s — the    female    closely   envelojied    in    a    black 
cloak,  and  peering  from  a  large  hood.     They  made  their 
way  to  tl»e  door  of  the  new  dwelling,  and  requested  a 
drink   of  water.      ^frs.    Walters   invited   them  in,  and 
handed  each  of  them  a  chair.     Regardless  of  pressing 
solicitations,  the  female  would  not  divest  h<)rself  of  her 
hood   and    cloak.     She  was  keenly  observant  of  every 
movement  mad(^  by  the  niembers  of  the  fariiily,  and  scru- 
tinized (!very  part  of  the  room,  and  (.'very  object  it  con- 
tained.    A  short  time  after  these  strangers  had   been 
stated  Captain  Walters  entered  the  room,  and  at  onc;o 
attracted  the  intense  gaze  of  the  stranger.     She  kept 
her  black  and  piercing  eyes  so  stead il}'  upon  him — as 
if  reading  him  through  and  through — that  the  Captain 
felt   rcidly   uncomfortable.      Soon    after,   hastily    rising 
from  their  seats,  the  strangers  abruptly  left  the  house, 
rejecting   pressing    invitations    to   partake    of   refresh- 
ments ;  and  it  nuide  their  conduct  the  more  strange,  that 
dinner  was  already  on  the  table.     Many  were  tlie  sur- 


f 


192 


THE    BLACK    niANTOM;    OR, 


mises  as  to  who  they  wcre^  vvhenco  they  wore,  aiul  wliat 
could  liav(3  prompted  them  to  act  so  straiifi-ely.  Another 
thin^  made;  a  (h'cp  impression  on  the  mind?^.  of  the  Cap- 
tain  and  his  wife — that  although  the  two  mysterious 
beings,  on  theii  arrival,  seemed  so  decrcpid  that  they 
could  scarc(dy  walk,  yet,  when  they  left,  they  skii)i)e(l 
along  as  nim!)ly  as  if  ruiniing  for  a  wager.  The  mys- 
tery was  still  further  increased,  when,  as  Mrs.  Brown 
was  cleaning  up  the  rootn  after  dinner,  and  adjusting 
the  cushion  of  the  chair  on  which  the  strange  fcmrdc 
had  sat,  there  fell  from  under  the  cushion  a  letter,  which, 
on  taking  it  up,  she  found  was  addressed,  "  Mrs.  Elizii 
Walters,"  to  whom  she  straightway  took  it.  The  mo- 
ment Mrs.  Walters  looked  upon  the  letter  she  became 
enervated,  her  (;olor  came  and  went,  her  lips  moved  in- 
voluntarily, yet  had  lost  the  power  of  utterance  ;  her 
whol(3  IVatne,  indeed,  was  in  a  violent  tremor,  and  she 
iiad  almost  lost  the  power  of  s('lf-su|)porl. 

At  this  moment  the  Captain  entered  the  room,  and 
seeing  her  in  so  alarming  a  condition,  he  sprang  to  her 
side,  but  such  was  the  jxM'turbed  state  of  his  own  mind. 
that  he  was  (|uite  unable  to  articulate  an  in([uiry  as  tn 
\\\o.  cause  of  what  he  witnessed.  Mrs.  Brown  was  no 
less  confused  :  all  that  she  could  do,  when  she  had  ral- 
b"ed  a  little,  was  to  point  to  the  letter  that  lay  on  tii'^ 
floor.  The  sight  of  the  letter  increased  the  perplexity 
of  the  Captain,  for  it  brought  vividly  to  his  mind,  as  it 
had  already  to  that  of  his  wife,  former  inci  icnts  of  tlir 
same  kind. 

This  state  of  things — all  this  agitation  and  confusion 
— was  not  simply  the  result  of  the  presentation  of  the 
letter  by  Mrs.  Urown.     On  tlu>  contrary,  it  was  the  siid- 


WOMAN  S    ENDUllANCE. 


193 


vvliiit 

1    Ciip- 

evioiis 
t  they 
^ipiK'd 
;  mys- 
Brown 
instinji; 
fcnKvlo 
which, 
:^.  Eli/;i 
he  mo- 
becamo 
(ved  i li- 
ce ;  her 


)m,  iiiitl 

-•    \n  lid" 

■u  iniii<l. 

i-y  us  to 

was    111* 


|rph'xity 
»(\,  as  ii 

s  of  til'' 


|(>nfusi(»ii 

111  (vf  th»' 

the  sud- 


den flash  of  memoricH  and  convietions  thioiigli  tlu?  hrain, 
and  instantly  associatiiif^  these  vvitli  tlie  mysterious  IV- 
niale  and  the  U^tter,  tliat  prodneed  all  this  mental  per- 
turbation. Mrs.  Brown  rif^htly  jud^vd,  when  she  eon- 
cliided  that  to  l)rinj.^  tin;  mind  of  eaeii  to  its  wonted 
tone  the  surest  restorative  would  be  a  short  and  quiet 
repose  So,  laying  Mrs.  Walters  gently  on  the  couch, 
she  left  her  and  the  Captain  in  silence,  that  their  agi- 
tated minds  and  perturbed  f(!elings  might  spend  their 
force,  and  subside  of  themselves. 

After  Mrs.  Brown  had  left  her  patients,  and  again 
went  about  her  work  of  clearing  up  and  setting  things 
to  rights,  the  little  daughter  of  Mrs.  Jones  came  to  her 
and  said — 

"  Mrs.  Brown,  that  was  not  an  old  woman  that  had 
that  big  cloak  on." 

"  Oh,"  said  Mrs.  Brown,  "  go  away,  what  do  you  know 
ahout  it?" 

"  Why,"  said  the  little  girl,  "  I  do  know  ;  'cause  I 
could  see,  for  I  stood  close  beside  her,  and  I  was  look- 
ing right  in  her  face,  and  I'm  sure  that  sue  wasn't  an 
itld  woman,  but  a  very  nice  young  woman  ;  and  when 
she  seen  me  looking  at  her,  she  jumped  up  and  went 
right  away." 

This  simple  and  straight  forward  tale  of  the  little  girl 
set  Mrs.  Brown  musing,  and  guessing,  and  wondming  ; 
and  when  the  first  chance  offered,  she  related  her  state- 
ment to  the  two  most  interested  parties.  It  tended  not 
in  the  least,  however,  to  dissipate  the  darkness  by  which 
tliey  were  surrounded. 

After  Mrs.  Walters  had  somewhat  recovered  her  com- 
posure of  mind,  she  said — 

9 


194 


THE     JJL  ACK     phantom;     OK, 


"My  dear  ll()l)C'rt,  ain  I  alvrayH  to  bu  made  the  Hpuit 
oftliesc  very  Hiii^ular  and  mysteriouH  doings?  Is  tlicru 
not  in  tiie  world  a  spot  to  l)0  found  Kufliciently  retired  to 
liid(!  UH  from  tlie  intrusion  of  tliathorri*.  Mack  pliantom  ?" 

"  VVliy,  my  dear  Eliza,"  said  her  husband,  "I  can  as- 
sure you  that  I  am  as  much  at  a  loss  to  answer  that 
question  as  you  are.  But  I,  however,  feel  disposed,  if  I 
could  only  see  the  way,  to  use  every  means  within  my 
power  to  unravel  the  enigma.  I  am  compl<!tely  at  a  loss 
to  account  for  the  motive  that  can  induce  these  erratic 
beings  thus  to  follow  and  act  towards  us  in  the  way 
they  do.  Let  me  look  at  the  letter,  and  see  if  that  will 
aftbrd  us  any  clue,  or  throw  any  light  <m  the  subject  ?" 

The  Captain  took  the  lett(!r,  and  saw  that,  as  all  the 
others  had  been,  it  was  directed  in  a  remarkable  neat 
and  beautiful  female  hand.  Breaking  the  seal,  ho  found 
that  its  contents  were  the  counterpart  of  the  previous 
ones.  The  same  aphorism,  a  quotation  from  the  Ninety- 
sciventh  Psalm,  "  The  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  ro 
joice  ;"  and  a  quotation  from  the  Gospel  of  St.  John, 
"  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter  :"  and,  as  before,  a  Bank  of  England  five  hun- 
dred pound  sterling  note.  Having  read  and  re-read  tlie 
letter,  the  Captain  sat  musing  in  silence  for  some  mo- 
ments, and  then  handed  the  note  and  the  letter  to  his 
wife,  who  received  them  as  if  in  a  state  of  listless  stupor. 

At  this  stage  of  things,  Mrs.  Brown  came  into  the 
room,  and  reiterating  what  Mrs.  Jones's  little  girl  had 
said,  about  the  age  of  the  strange  woman  as  she  called 
her,  she  said  she  felt  inclined  to  believe  her,  for  she  was 
always  a  prying  little  thing  ;  and  tlieu  she  was  sure 
the  little  puss  told  the  truth — ishc  would  sooner  trust  to 


woman's  endurance. 


1D5 


npoit 

thcio 
red  to 
torn?" 
Min  as- 
cr  tluit 
ed,  if  I 
bin  my 

t  51  loss 

erratic 
he  way 
l\at  will 
)ject  ?" 
a  all  the 
ble  neat 
he  found 
previous 
Ninety- 
artli  re- 
)t.  John, 
alt  know 
five  liun- 
read  the 
lonie  nio- 
,er  to  bis 
IS  stupor, 
into  the 
o-irl  bad 
[be  called 
sbe  was 
was  sure 
|r  trust  to 


her  woid  than  many  a  grown-up  person's.  Tills,  witliout 
reniovinp;  any  diilieultieH,  or  soivinjj;-  any  of  the  per})h'xi- 
ties  by  whicii  they  were  surrounded,  ^av(;  a  new  turn 
to  their  thoug-hts.  At  len«^tli,  Mrs,  Walters  said  witii  u 
kind  of  iialf-musing,  vacant  look — 

"  Is  it  possible  I  Not  an  old  woman  ?  Will  my  i)attt 
life  furnish  any  clue  that  will  lead  my  mind  to  fix  on 
any  person  whom  I  could  suppose  capable  of  acting  in 
so  erratic  a  way  as  this — tantalizing  me  with  these  dark 
and  hidden  doings,  and  such  vague  promises  of  future 
developments — first  wounding  my  very  heart,  and  then 
applying  the  salve  of  her  laviBh  wealth?''  On  uttering 
these  words — holding  up  the  sterling  bank-note,  looking 
at  it  herself,  and  calling  the  attention  of  her  liusband  to 
it — with  a  sorrowful  look,  and  a  mournful  expression, 
she  said — 

"  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  mother  or  father,  any 
sister  or  brother — who  am  I,  what  am  I,  where  am  I 
from  r 

These  words  were  expressed  with  so  much  feeling, 
yea,  with  such  agony,  that  they  seemed  as  though 
wrung  from  her  inmost  soul.  Iler  husband  throwing 
his  arms  around  her,  exclaimed — 

*•  My  own  dear  Eliza,  you  arc  the  wife  of  Robert  Wal- 
ters, is  not  that  enough,  and  better  than  father  or  mo- 
tlier,  or  sister  or  brother  ?" 

"  Oh  1"  said  she,  "  was  it  not  sufficient  for  me  to  boar 
my  lot  alone,  instead  of  linking  the  destiny  of  another 
to  my  sorrows  ?  Better  had  he  sought  tiie  hand  of  some 
rustic  maid,  who  had  been  nurtured  in  a  domestic  circle 
that  was  blest  with  the  sweet  memories  of  a  father's  and 
a  mother's  love  ;  but  my  being  is  a  blank,  with  no  ves- 


196 


TllK     IJIiACK     I'll  AN  TOM;     OR, 


tip^es  of  the  early  loves  of  kiiulred  to  relate  to  my  lius- 
baiid  !" 

"Oil,  my  own  dc^'ir  Eliza  !"  said  lier  liiisband,  "  if  yoii 
have  no  loved  relatives  to  praise,  you  have  none  to 
blame  ;  and  if  you  have  none  to  eheriHh  and  bless  you, 
you  hav(!  none  to  discard  and  mali<jfn  you.  But,  my  own 
dear  love,  there  is  one  heart  that  feels  for  you,  and  there; 
is  one  bosom  on  whieh  you  may  n.'cline  with  perfect 
freedom,  and  with  entire  safety,  and  which  you  may 
make  the  depositary  of  the  inmost  thoughts  of  your 
soul.  There  is  one  who  is  fully  able  to  appnjciate  your 
worth,  and  who  sympathizes  with  you  in  all  your  sor- 
rows— you  have  a  husband." 

At  the  utterance  of  these  expressions  by  her  husband, 
her  whole  frame  shook,  and  with  an  utterance,  half-aloud, 
half-chok(!d  with  grief,  she  questioned  with  herself — 

"Ycis;  but  how^  long  shall  I  have  him?  Oh!  llie 
future,  still  darker  than  the  past  I" 

Catching  the  import  of  these  words,  and  noticing  the 
manner  in  which  they  were  spoken,  her  husband  was 
confounded  ;  for  they  revealed  to  his  mind  that  she  had 
pen(;trat(Ml  what  he  deemed  a  secret  buried  within  his 
own  breast.  To  meet  this  new  development  he  had  no 
soothinu:  balm  to  oiler — no  word  or  sentiu'ent  that  would 
reach  the  case. '  With  an  almost  invcjluntJiry  moticm  he 
fell  on  his  knees,  and  drawing  his  wife  gently  down  to 
the  same  position,  at  that  fountain  of  hope  and  consola 
tion  always  accessible  to  the  sorrowing  and  the  suffer- 
ing, they  mutely  and  unitedly  breathed  forth  the  aspi- 
rations of  their  sadly  smitten  hearts. 


W  0  M  A  N'S    E  N  D  U  U  a  X  C  E. 


107 


IniK- 


fyou 
le  to 
;  you, 
(T  own 
tlierc 
cifect 

may 

y(jm- 
•  your 
ir  Hoi- 

sl>iiiul, 
-aloud, 

If— 
1 !   the 

iug  the 
d  was 
ic  had 
in  his 
uid  uo 
would 
ticm  he 
own  to 

consohi 
suifi'r- 
le  aspi- 


CIIAPTER   XVII. 

As  there  appears  to  be  conwiderable  importance  at- 
tached to  the  doings  of  the  two  strange  beings  who 
have  caused  such  consternation  in  the  new  resich^nce  of 
Captain  Walters,  we  will  just  follow  them,  and  if  possi 
ble  overtake  those  fleet  hors(!s,  as  they  ani  moving  east- 
ward, in  the  direction  of  the  town,  or  nitlirr  the  villa«»e 
of  Kingston,  liut  sundy  they  are  not  the  ame  pers^^;.is. 
Instead  of  a  black  ch'^k  and  largi;  liood,  the  lady  has  a 
neat  travelling-dress,  with  a  plain  but  handsome  bon- 
net :  the  man,  u  suit  of  livery,  as  being  the  servant  of 
some  titled  and  wealthy  family. 

Tiiey  arrived  at  a  small  tavern  by  the  roadside,  where 
they  intond  to  remain  for  the  night,  and  where  it  ap- 
peared they  had  remained  the  night  previous,  with  the 
understanding  that  they  were  to  return  and  spend  this 
night  also.  Of  course,  suitable  preparations  had  been 
made  for  their  reception,  as  they  appeared  to  be  above 
the  common  grade  of  travellers  in  that  section  of  coun- 
try. After  partaking  of  a  supper  that  would  have  done 
uo  discredit  to  a  hotel  of  more  pretentious  appearance, 
the  servant-man  was  summoned  into  the  presence  of  the 
lady,  who  was  seated  in  the  best  room  of  the  house, 
thoujrh  of  rather  circumscribed  dimensions.  When  the 
man  entered,  the  lady  interrogated  him — 

"  Well,  Thomas,  what  do  you  think  of  the  iu^w  home 
of  Captain  Walters  ?" 


1! 


198 


THE    BLACK    PnANTOM;    OR, 


"  Why,  my  lady,"  said  tlio  man,  "  T  was  thinking  what 
would  the  nciglibors  consider  about  such  a  grand  house 
as  tliat  in  tho  bush.  I  sliould  think  that  they  would 
conclude  it  was  soinetliing  above  their  log-shanties." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  lady,  "but  you  know  that  Captain 
Walters  is  a  man  of  correct  taste  and  large  views,  and 
that  nothing  less  would  satisfy  him." 

"  Yes,  and  Mrs.  Walters,  too,"  said  the  man.  "  In  that 
respect,  as  well  as  in  many  others,  they  seem  as  though 
their  minds  had  been  cast  in  the  same  mould.  And  then 
if  the  house  presents  such  a  fine  appearance  now,  what 
will  it  be  when  it  is  all  finished  ?  But,  1  am  afraid  Cap- 
tain Walters  is  not  going  to  enjoy  it  long,  even  if  ho 
lives  to  see  it  finished,  if  I  may  judge  iVom  his  looks." 

"  Ah  1  did  you  notice  that,  Thomas  ?"  said  the  lady. 
"  I  can  assure  you  I  was  so  greatly  shocked  when  I 
saw  him,  that  I  could  not  take  my  eyes  ofi*  him  ;  and  1 
have  no  doubt  he  observed  my  viewing  him  so  intently. 
Thrown  off  my  guard  by  that  pretty,  intelligent-looking 
little  girl  who  so  steadily  gazed  into  my  face,  and 
almost  so  far  forgetting  myself  as  to  take  her  in  my  lap 
and  give  her  a  kiss,  and  becoming  alarmed  lest  Captain 
Walters  and  his  wife  should  notice  the  way  in  which  I 
acted,  I  jumped  up  and  left." 

"  Well,  my  lady,"  said  the  man,  "  you  took  me  by  sur- 
prise ;  and  I  was  still  more  astonished  to  see  that  you 
had  forgotten  your  lameness.  Compelled  to  follow  your 
example,  my  crutch  was  of  no  use,  any  further  than  to 
enable  me  lo  keep  up  with  you.  I  have  no  doubt  tlu^y 
consider  us  two  most  remarkable  beings,  judging  from 
our  droll  appearance  and  strange  conduct." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  they  do,  Thomas,"  said  the  lady  ; 


woman's  endurance. 


199 


\g  what 
1  house 

r  would 

es." 

Captain 
ws,  and 

In  that 
though 
.nd  then 
tv,  what 
lid  Cap- 
;n  if  h(! 
)oks." 
he  lady, 
when  I 
;   and  1 
intently. 
>looking 
ice,   and 
1  my  lap 
Cai)taiii 
which  1 

3  by  sur- 
that  you 
low  your 
'  than  to 
ubt  they 
ing  from 

tie  lady  ; 


"and  it  may  be  a  long  time  before  they  will  have  any 
explanation  from  me,  for  Providence  sometimes  moves 
Blow  ;  but  I  am  not  doubtful  of  the  result.  Althouirh 
the  present  state  of  things  may  appear  dark  and  mys- 
terious to  them,  yet  eventually  the  truth  and  justice  of 
God  shall  shine  forth  as  the  light." 

"  But,  my  lady,"  said  the  man,  "  what  if  the  Captain 
and  Mrs.  Walters  should  be  both  dead  and  in  their 
graves,  before  these  great  results  that  you  look  for  are 
realized — what  good  will  it  do  them  ?" 

"  Well,  Thomas,"  said  she,  "if  there  were  no  hereafter, 
tiiey  alone  might  be  the  sufferers,  and  without  the  least 
chance  of  enjoying  any  compensation  ;  but  the  clearest 
and  brightest  display  of  results  is  reserved  for  a  more 
lit  ting  place,  and  a  more  appropriate  season,  and  where 
tlie  iiuiocent  and  the  guilty  will  be  far  more  capable  of 
appreciating  the  blessings  they  enjoy,  or  the  evils  they 
endure." 

"Well,  my  lady,"  said  the  man,  "not  knowing  the 
object  you  have  in  view,  of  course  I  am  not  able  to  give 
an  opinion  as  to  the  propriety  of  your  present  proceed- 
ings ;  but  I  am  satisfied  in  my  owji  mind  of  your  pru- 
dence and  the  soundness  of  your  judgment.  From  this 
persuasion,  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  I  could  see  things  in 
all  their  bearings  as  I  suppose  you  see  them,  I  should 
act  just  as  you  do." 

"Thomas,  the  views  and  feelings  you  have  expressed 
are  right,"  said  the  lady  ;  "  fur,  from  your  know]cdg(i  of 
me  you  conclude  that  I  act  from  just  principles,  althoiigji 
you  are  not  able  to  look  through  my  present  actions 
to  the  far-off  results  that  I  contemplate.  The  proceed- 
ings of  Providouce  are  frequently  dark  and  mysterious, 


T?" 


200 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


and  often  invcjlve  the  innocent  and  the  virtuous  in  laby- 
I'intliH  of  Horrow  and  diatresH,  from  which  the  sufferer 
can  see  no  possibh^  way  of  extricating  liirnself.  In 
such  cases,  would  it  not  be  wise  to  say,  with  liuni- 
ble  resignation  to  the  stern  necessities  of  the  moment, 
'  It  is  the  Lord,  let  Him  do  as  seemeth  wise  or  good 
in  llis  sight?'  and  then  to  ask  for  patience  to  for- 
tify the  soul,  tyiat  it  may,  without  a  murmur,  wait  the 
full  developments  that  Heaven  contemplates.  Thus, 
whether  Captain  or  Mrs.  Walters,  or  you,  or  even  I  my- 
self, live  or  die,  and  though  hand  join  in  hand  against 
it,  the  will  of  God  will  and  must  be  vindicated,  though 
it  were  necessary  that  He  should  use  the  entire  universe 
as  agents  to  accomplish  His  purposes.  In  fact,  Thomas, 
the  state  and  circumstances  of  man  in  this  world  are  ill- 
adapted  f(jr  the  full  app(n-tionment  of  rewards  to  virtue 
or  punishment  to  vice.  We  see  men,  pure  and  holy 
though  they  be,  become  the  victims  and  the  sport  of  bad 
men,  who  plague,  distress,  and  torment  them,  throughout 
the  whole  course  of  their  earthly  existence.  These, 
without  a  higher  state,  could  have  no  compensation  for 
their  sufferings.  Reason,  and  all  the  better  impulses 
of  our  nature,  revolt  at  such  an  idea.  It  is  in  strict 
accordance  with  tlie  highest  and  purest  aspirations  of 
the  best  and  noblest  minds,  that  there  will  be  a  loftier 
and  wider  sphere,  where  the  now  latent  powers,  and  the 
clipped  wings  of  man's  higher  nature,  will  be  brought 
out  and  let  loose  amidst  a  boundless  range  of  untold 
delights.  And  then,  earthly  courts  cannot  apportion 
punishment  to  crime.  A  man,  if  guilty  of  taking  the  life 
of  one  of  his  fellow-men,  may  pay  the  forfeit  of  his  life 
for  the  crime  :   he  can  lose  no  more  from  earthly  justice 


woman's  endurance. 

if  be  takes  the  lives  of  a  huudred.  But  it  may  be  ex- 
pected  to  be  fur  otherwise  in  the  punisb.neuts  inflicted 

It  LTr-  "'  '''"  '"■  "'■  «"'^'  -''"-  duration 
can  be  added  to  intensity  of  sniToring.     It  may  appear 

strange  to  us,  that  there  are  men  who  would  try  to  per' 
»uade  us  that  there  is  a  universe  without  law,  or  a  law 
Without  penalty. 

''  But  now,  Thomas,  I  wish  to  start  early  in  the  morn- 
ing on  our  journey  homeward,  and  of  course  you  will 
stnctly  observe  your  usual  silence  and  secrecy  as  to 
where^  we  have  been,  or  any  of  our  doings^so,  good- 


\ 


9* 


202 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM;    OR, 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


A  FEW  days  after  the  appearance  of  the  strange  man 
and  woman,  at  the  residence  of  Captain  Walters,  Mr. 
Le  Clair  again  gave  them  a  call,  on  returning  from  his 
mission  to  a  tribe  of  Indians  located  near  the  shore  of 
Rice  Lake.  It  might  have  been  supposed,  from  the  very 
familiar  way  in  which  he  introduced  himself,  and  the 
equally  hearty  reception  that  was  given  to  him,  by  both 
Captain  and  Mrs.  Walters,  that  they  had  been  friends  of 
long  standing.  The  address  of  both  was  easy  and  cor- 
dial, without  the  most  distant  approach  to  formality. 
Whether  they  sat  enjoying  themselves  in  a  colloquial 
way  in  the  house  ;  or  without,  in  surveying  the  great  im- 
provements by  which  the  Captain  had  in  so  short  a  time 
made  such  a  transformation  in  his  surroundings  ;  or 
ascended  the  little  eminence  close  by,  which  afforded  a 
view  of  a  wide  expanse  of  Lake  Ontario  ;  or  contem- 
plated the  dark  woods  in  the  rear  of  their  house — either 
of  these  themes  was  sufficient  to  put  in  requisition  those 
fine  conversational  powers  with  which  they  were  blessed. 
And  then  they  mutually  took  great  pleasure  in  survey- 
ing the  beauties  of  nature  ;  and  few  localities  could 
have  been  selectc^d  where  sucli  an  assemblage  of  beau- 
ties were  to  be  seen. 

So  very  pleasant  and  agreeable  was  the  companion- 
ship of  these  choice  spirits,  that  they  made  the  most 


woman's  endurance. 


203 


cf  the  high  intellectual  treat  thus  afforded  them.  As  it 
was  now  Saturday  afternoon,  but  little  persuasion  wns 
found  necessary  to  induce  Mr.  Le  Clair  to  prolong-  his 
stay  until  Monday  morning'.  After  the  toils  of  tiie  week, 
the  preparations  for  their  evening's  devotions  were  at- 
tended to  with  a  proper  and  becoming-  spirit.  The  Sat- 
urday night's  gathering  of  the  domestic  circle  was  usu- 
ally one  of  peculiar  interest  and  enjoyment,  and,  accord- 
ing to  their  designation,  emphatically  the  preparation  of 
the  Sabbath.  This  was  an  entirely  new  thing  to  Mr. 
Le  Clair,  and  it  might  have  been  supposed,  judging  from 
his  strict  Catholic  education,  and,  indeed,  from  all  his 
previous  life  and  associations,  that  there  would  be  a  little 
reluctance  evinced  on  his  part  to  joining  such  exercises. 
But,  as  there  was  no  alternative,  without  a  violation  of 
good  manners,  he  acquiesced  rather  than  concurred, — 
keeping  his  attention  fully  directed,  however,  to  every 
thing  done,  and  the  utterance  of  every  sentiment.  The 
Captain  was  a  little  nervous,  feeling  that  his  Christianity 
was  on  trial,  not  only  before  a  keen  judge,  but  a  death- 
less spirit,  that  might  hear  on  that  night  for  either  weal 
or  woe.  And  his  heart  was  all  aglow — not  with  any 
exhibition  of  rant  or  wildfire,  but  with  a  spirit  of  devo- 
tion, kindled  up  by  flashes  of  fire,  as  it  were  from  the 
very  altar  of  God.  And  soon  this  was  felt  by,  and  even 
actuated  every  spiritual  worshipper  there,  for  there  was 
freedom  of  spirit  and  softening  of  hearts.  It  might 
have  been  seen  .that  thee  was  already  a  strong  conflict 
going  on  within  Mr.  Le  Clair— between  his  iieart,  his  in- 
tellect, and  his  strong  will  ;  which,  though  he  restrained 
himself,  and  observed  rather  an  awkward  silence,  was 
evinced  more  plainly  by  his  manner  than  it  could  have 


204 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


boen  by  words.  The  services  of  the  evening  closed, 
and  each  one  retired  to  rest,  without  eliciting  from  Mr. 
Le  Clair  a  syllable  as  to  the  estimate  he  had  formed  of 
this  to  him  novel  proceediiig.  He  found,  however,  on 
liis  retirement  to  the  silence  of  his  own  room,  and  when 
left  to  his  own  undisturbed  reflections,  that  the  impres- 
sions on  his  mind  were  deep,  but  at  the  same  time  quite 
undefinable.  Entirely  new  developments  of  his  inner 
nature  seemed  opened  up  to  his  view,  of  the  existence 
of  which  until  now  he  had  been  utterly  unconscious, 
lie  now  saw  and  felt  that  he  occupied  an  entirely  new 
position — to  himself,  to  his  God,  and  to  the  world  :  tliat 
the  whole  of  his  life  had  been  little  better  than  that  of 
a  visionary  dnsamer.  His  heart  was  troubled  with  con- 
victions of  his  responsibilities,  and  his  soul  smitten  with 
overwhelming-  thoughts  of  its  utter  barrenness  of  the 
appropriate  fruits  now  demanded,  and  dread  of  the  con- 
sequences, if  the  enactments  of  the  divine  law  against 
the  transgressor  should  be  put  in  execution.  These  dis- 
tracting and  bewildering  thoughts  drove  sleep  from  his 
eyes,  peace  from  his  mind,  and  rest  from  his  body.  Thus 
he  passed  the  night  in  a  state  of  groat  disquietude,  for 
which  neither  his  former  views  of  religion  nor  the 
maxims  of  his  philosophy,  furnished  a  remedy.  It  was 
the  conflict  of  a  strong  mind  grappling  with  mighty 
truths.  But,  the  combatants  were  unequal,  for  his  heart 
eventually  succumbed  to  the  superior  power,  and  he 
fell  as  one  slain  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Tiie  next  day,  the  Sabbath,  dawned  clear  and  bright, 
though  there  had  been  some  heavy  gusts  of  wind  and 
a  shtjwer  of  rain  during  the  night.  And  in  keeping  witii 
thin  outward  appearance  of  things,  the  dwellers  in  that 


woman's  endurance. 


205 


on 


dis- 
liis 

'bus 
for 
the 

was 

leart 
d   he 

■ig:lit, 
and 

with 
that 


habitation  still  retained  the  spiritual  fervor  acquired  on 
the  previous  evening.  This  was  evinced  at  very  early 
dawn,  by  the  songs  chanted  by  the  melodious  voices  of 
the  women,  while  employed  in  their  domestic  avoca- 
tions ;  and  the  men  at  their  necessarj'^  labor  of  feeding' 
and  attendiiif^  to  the  horses  and  cattle,  made  the  neigh- 
boring- woods  ring  while  singing  the  praises  of  their 
God  and  Father. 

When  the  mind  and  body  are  in  possession  of  ordi- 
nary health  and  vigor,  even  the  preacher  of  the  gosp(d 
may  go  through  the  labors  of  his  sacred  office  on  the 
Sabbath  in  a  kind  of  cold,  professional,  routine  way  ; 
but  when  health  is  failing,  and  death,  looming  up  in  the 
distance,  is  approaching  with  certain  and  rapid  strides, 
it  gives  earnestness  of  manner  and  unwonted  pathos  to 
the  preacher  in  the  enunciation  of  truth.  This  was 
especially  the  case  with  Captain  Walters  on  this  highly 
interesting  and  memorable  Sabbath.  Indeed  there  was 
a  combination  of  circumstances  and  influences  that 
tended  to  increase  and  intensify  this  feeling,  and  give 
his  mind  unusual  fervor.  His  was  at  all  times  an  active 
mind  ;  but  on  this  day  it  might  have  been  seen,  to  use 
an  apt  figure,  that  "  the  sword  was  far  too  keen  for  the 
scabbard." 

The  Captain  had  been  impressed  with  feelings  of 
sanctified  delight,  within  the  past  few  days,  on  observing 
the  power  of  divine  truth  over  the  hearts  of  some  of  the 
rough,  uncultivated  beings  who  hav(,>  already  passed 
before  us.  And  now  he  gathered  from  the  unmistakable 
maimer  of  Mr.  Le  Clair  tliat  deep  impressions  had  been 
made  on  his  mind,  although  he  had  not,  by  the  utter- 
ance of  a  word,  alluded  to  the  subject.     But  it  was  evi- 


20G 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


dent  that  he  was  nursing  his  grief,  and  that  the  barbed 
arrows  of  the  Almighty  were  rankling  in  his  heart. 
The  Captain  had  been  so  blessed  on  the  night  before, 
and  had  received  such  clear  evidf^nce  of  the  Divine  favor, 
that  now,  on  this  beautiful  Sabbath  morning,  his  assur- 
ance of  the  smiles  of  God  was  without  a  cloud  to  disturi) 
his  serenity.  Thus  prepared,  with  his  work  before  him, 
and  his  armor  all  bright  and  ready  for  the  contest,  diffi- 
culties vanished  before  him  like  the  mist  receding  before 
the  piercing  rays  of  the  sun.  He  was  serious  with(;ut 
being  morose,  and  cheerful  without  being  frivolous  ;  for 
there  was  Christian  joy  in  his  heart  which  smoothed  his 
spirit,  illuminated  his  countenance,  and  dictated  all  his 
words.  How  fully  he  exemplified,  on  that  morning,  the 
spirit  and  disposition  of  his  divine  Master  I  And  again, 
when  the  hour  of  their  morning  family  devotion  arrived, 
they  had  still  further  'vidence  that  the  resources  of 
divine  love  had  not  been  exhausted  by  the  abundant 
blessings  they  had  received  on  the  previous  evening  ; 
and  this  was  feit  by  each  in  the  speechless  awe  fhat 
pervaded  every  mind  present. 

When  the  time  of  public  service  arrived,  the  large 
room  that  had  been  fitted  up  for  the  purpose  was  now 
filled  by  an  orderly  company  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren,— so  thorough  had  been  the  reformation  of  manners 
through  the  neighborhood,  the  gospel  having  brought 
within  its  benign  influence  almost  every  member  of 
every  household.  Here  it  was  made  evident  that  the 
gospel  has  a  moral  moulding  force,  far  surpassing  in  its 
prompt  and  direct  action  the  best-devised  educational 
system,  and  the  most  stringently  enforced  police  laws. 

A  good  part  of  the  company  now  before  us  wen*  under 


woman's  endurance. 


207 


tlie  influence  of  tlicir  first  love,  for  thoy  listened  to  the 
word  spoken  with  such  fixedness  of  attention  that  every 
word  seemed  to  tell,  as  it  met  with  a  hearty  response, — 
thoug-h  this  was  evidenced  rather  by  manner  than  by 
words.  Even  the  hardest  sinner  there  gave  clear  evi- 
dence that  his  heart  was  not  altogether  without  suscep- 
tibility— some  little  spot  where  the  good  seed  miglit 
germinate,  however  much  he  struggled  to  smother  his 
convictions,  and  thus  involve  himself  in  a  more  serious 
responsibility  by  quenching  the  Spirit. 

At  the  close  of  this  day,  on  which  the  arm  of  the  God 
of  Israel  had  been  so  signally  made  bare,  and  quite  a 
number  brought  within  the  consecrated  circle  of  divine 
influence,  all  acknowledged  that  it  had  been  as  one  of 
the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man  with  power 

But  not  the  least  interesting  case  was  that  of  Mr.  Le 
Clair,  who  had  come  merely  as  a  casual  visitor,  had  par- 
taken of  the  hospitalities  of  Captain  Walters  and  his 
wife,  and,  with  more  than  ordinary  relish,  enjoyed  some 
hours  of  social  intercourse.  But  all. this  was  as  naught 
to  the  discoveries  that  had  now  been  unfolded  before  his 
awakened  conscience,  and  those  whelming  influences 
which  had  swept  before  them  as  cobwebs  his  long- 
cherished  opinions,  and  even  broken  up  the  deep  caverns 
of  his  heart,  and  probed  all  the  profounder  recesses  of 
his  soul,  so  that  things  long  buried  there  and  forgotten 
were  thrown  up  to  the  surface,  and  there  exposed  before 
him  in  all  their  sad  and  hideous  deformity  ;  while,  to 
give  a  still  deeper  shade  to  this  dark  picture,  the  con- 
trast was  presented  to  his  startled  soul  of  the  enact- 
ments of  the  divine  law  of  God,  that  requires  truth  and 
purity  in  th(^  heart,  and  strict  righteousness  in  the  whole 


208 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OK, 


7'. 


conduct.  In  this  state  of  utter  consternation,  looking 
around  him  for  some  support,  some  refuge,  some  conso- 
lation, and  finding  none,  he  cried  out  in  the  bitterness  of 
his  spirit,  "  Oh  !  wrctclied  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  de- 
liver* me  from  this  body  of  sin  and  deatii  V 

It  was  well  for  him  that  there  were  not  those  present 
who  would  have  imposed  on  him  the  performance  of 
some  penance,  the  endurance  of  some  severe  bodily 
pain,  as  a  remedy  for  his  spiritual  diseases  and  mental 
afflictions.  But  happy  indeed  was  it  for  him  that  there 
were  those  there  who  were  able  and  willing  to  point 
him  to  the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world,  whom,  by  simple  faith  in  His  merits  and  atoning 
sacrifice,  he  would  find  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  ready 
to  meet  his  every  requirement.  And  so  it  proved  ;  for, 
although  it  was  difficult  for  him  fully  to  comprehend 
at  first  the  simplicity  of  saving  faith,  still,  when  he  got 
a  glimpse  of  the  Redeemer  as  having  fulfilled  the  de- 
mands of  the  divine  law  by  dying  in  his  stead,  and  saw 
that  through  the  shedding  of  His  precious  blood  the  sin- 
ner might  go  free,  he  grasped  at  the  idea  as  if  in  desp(^- 
ration,  and  at  that  instant  light  broke  upon  his  mind, 
and  divine  love  filled  his  soul — he  was  indeed  a  new 
man.  Now  he  breathed  in  a  higher,  purer  moral  atmos- 
phere ;  new  and  nobler  thoughts  struck  athwart  his 
brain  ;  strange  emotions  swayed  his  soul  ;  feelings  full 
and  strong  welled  up  from  the  deep  fountains  of  his 
heart,  and  his  tongue  became  eloquent  with  praise. 

But  the  labors  of  this  day  proved  too  much  for  the  en- 
feebled and  exhausted  frame  o^  Captain  Walters.  It  is 
true,  his  joy  was  full,  but  his  .hysical  strength  was  not 
equal  to  the  demands  of  the  .^pirit.     He  therefore  found 


woman's   endurancp:. 


2(^9 


the  en- 
It  is 
'as  not 
found 


it  noceasary  to  retire  early  to  bed.  But  even  wlien 
tliere,  the  activity  of  his  u\'uu\  drove  Hloep  from  his  (^yes, 
and  he  passed  a  weary  jind  restless  ni^ht.  And  it  \v:is 
not  till  his  mind  bad  attaiiKul  its  ordinary  composure, 
that  rest  came  to  his  wearied  frame.  Thus  it  is  evident 
that  any  unusual,  lon^-continued  strain  upon  our  spir- 
itual susceptibilities  must  be  at  the  expense  of  our  phys- 
ical force. 

During  the  prostrati(jn  of  the  Captain's  physical 
strength,  his  wife  proved  herself  indeed  a  ministering 
angel.  So  attentive  was  she  to  his  least  want  or  faint- 
est desire,  that  no  mother  could  have  hovered  over  th(; 
priceless  object  of  her  affections  with  more  yearning  of 
soul  ;  and  unbounded  was  her  delight  when,  after  a  few 
days  of  quiet  and  rest,  accompanied  by  her  own  assidu- 
ous attentions,  he  appeared  to  b(^  fully  restored  to  his 
wonted  strength,  and  to  give  flattering  indications  of 
returning  permanent  health. 

When  Monday  morning  arrived,  Mr.  Le  Clair,  having 
important  business  on  hand  which  required  dispatch,  felt 
it  his  duty  to  depart ;  but  strong  ties  now  bound  his 
heart  to  the  spot  where  he  had  so  unexpectedly  become 
possessed  of  hitherto  unknown  joys.  He  appeared  to 
linger  in  a  state  of  painful  suspense  ;  nor  was  it  without 
a  strong  effort  that  he  finally  tore  himself  away  from 
the  place,  accompanying  his  farewell  with  an  expression 
of  gratitude,  and  that  he  must  be  permitted  often  to 
call  and  see  his  spiritual  father  and  mother,  and  the 
place  of  his  second  birth — a  place  that  must  ever  be 
dear  to  him  while  memory  remained. 


210 


TUE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


A  FEW  weeks  after  tlic  circumstances  occurred  as 
narr.ated  above,  an  event  transpired  which  we  must 
state,  as  it  will  so  cloarl}'^  portray  the  frame  of  mind  of 
Captain  Walters,  and  the  correct  moral  principles  on 
which  he  acted,  and  how  strongly  the  love  of  God  and 
man  swayed  his  heart  and  regulated  his  whole  conduct. 

In  the  Concession,  where  the  Captain  had  fixed  his 
residence,  there  was  a  family  who  had  recently  arrived 
from  England.  The  husband  and  father  of  this  family 
was  apparently  above  the  common  average  of  men  of 
his  class,  in  endowments  of  mind  and  general  intelli- 
gence ;  and  he  was  at  once  prudent,  sober,  and  highly 
industrious.  But  his  wnfe  was  not  at  all  adapted  for  a 
rough-and-tumble  strife  with  the  W(jrld.  With  a  weak, 
diminutive  body,  and  a  more  imbecile  mind,  she  was  by 
no  means  a  meet  companion  for  her  husband.  And  then 
she  was  of  a  remarkably  cold  temperament,  conse- 
quently heartless  and  selfish,  and  unappreciativc  of  any 
tenderness  or  kindness  shown  to  her.  Her  habits,  in 
her  domestic  relations,  were  not  those  that  became  a 
wife  and  a  mother.  She  was  improvident  and  thriftless, 
knowing  not  the  value  of  money.  She  seemed  not  to 
feel  the  importance  of  instilling  the  principles  of  truth 
and  right  into  the  minds  of  her  offspring,  and  this  was  a 
source  of  continual  disquietude  to  her  partner.    And  not 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


211 


only  was  she  thuH  deficient  in  mental,  moral,  and  phys- 
ical (|ualiti('H,  wliicli  had  a  diroct  tendency  to  connter- 
aet  the  inlluence  of  her  husband,  who  was  espei^ially  de- 
sirous to  .maintain  a  standin<^  in  society  ;  but  there  was 
a  still  greater  evil  superadded,  the  source  of  pungent 
sorrow  and  heart-consuming  grief — she  was  a  confirmed 
inebriate.  She  was  equally  deaf  to  remonstrance, 
threats,  persua8i(m,  or  entreaties. 

Thus,  not  having  the  co-operation  and  support  of  his 
wife,  this  afflicted  man  liagged  in  his  efforts  to  rise  in 
the  world  ;  and  under  the  pressure  of  these  untoward 
influences  and  circumstuiices,  was  fast  making  his  way 
with  gray  hairs  and  sorrow  to  the  grave.  But  he  wished 
to  make  an  elTort,  before  his  death,  to  place  hi?  children, 
if  possible,  under  a  more  healthful  moral  atmosphere,  as 
he  had  an  interesting  family  of  three  daughters  and  one 
son.  At  the  earnest  request  of  the  father,  Mrs.  ^Valter8 
had  taken  the  eldest  daughter,  that  she  might,  as  he 
said,  have  an  opportunity  of  learning  something  that 
would  qualify  her  for  filling  some  useful  position  in  life. 
Her  name  was  Elizabeth,  but  she  was  always  called  by 
that  of  Betsey.  She  was  a  girl  of  some  pretensions  to 
beauty,  but  had  inherited  from  her  mother  one  dangerous 
weakness — an  empty  pride,  that  exhibited  itself  in  in- 
ordinate fondness  of  dress  and  show.  This  had  been 
the  cause  of  great  anxiety  to  her  father,  and  he  desired 
that  Mrs.  Walters  would  do  her  best  to  restrain  this 
baneful  propensity. 

Betsey  was  remarkable  for  a  lively  and  active  spirit. 
Iler  disposition  was  one  of  the  best,  for  she  neither 
thought  nor  said  evil  of  any  one  ;  and  never  returned 
evil  for  evil,  however  ill  or  harshly  she  might  have  been 


212 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM:     OR, 


treated  by  them.  Her  rino^iii^,  merry  laugh,  and  native 
wit,  spread  Runshine  wherever  she  was.  Hence,  slio 
soon  became  a  general  favorite  with  tlie  family,  and 
with  all  who  knew  lier.  It  was  Bets(»y  here,  and  Betsey 
there,  and  with  light  heart  and  nimble  foot  did  she 
respond  to  every  call.  Slie  would  often  exclaim  :  "  Dear 
me,  I  wonder  what  would  be  done  if  you  had  no  Betsey 
to  call  upon  !"  She  was  remarkably  clean  in  her  per- 
son, and  particular  in  her  dress  ;  every  pin  was  attended 
to,  and  every  string  properly  tied.  Such  was  the  con- 
lidence  placed  in  her  fidelity,  that  distrust  or  doubt  was 
never  thought  of  in  connection  with  Betsey.  In  this 
way,  the  domestic  affairs  of  the  house  went  on  smoothly 
and  regularly,  without  jar  or  discord.  But,  in  the  course 
of  time,  a  little  trinket  or  two  were  missing  from  the 
place  of  safe-keeping,  where  they  had  been  put  by  Mrs. 
Walters.  Then  another,  and  still  another  disappeared. 
This  caused  much  talk  arid  no  little  flutter  among  the 
members  of  the  household.  Mrs.  Walters  had  often 
spoken  of  the  thing  to  the  Captain,  and  receiv(3d  from 
him  a  strict  injunction  to  say  as  little  about  it  in  the 
house  as  possible,  but  to  leave  the  management  of  the 
whole  thing  in  his  hands. 

The  Captain  was,  from  first  to  last,  perfectly  silent  on 
the  subject,  but  always  on  the  alert.  He  thought  that 
he  saw  a  great  change  in  the  spirit  and  manner  of  Bet- 
sey ;  for  instead  of  being  lively  and  merry,  she  had 
become  mopish  and  taciturn.  She  was  pettish  in  her 
conduct,  and  pert  in  her  wijrds  to  all  around  her.  From 
being  prim  and  neat  in  her  dress,  she  had  become  care- 
less and  slatternly  ;  and  her  fine  head  of  dark-brown 
hair,  that  had  always  been  tastefully  done  up,  was  now 


R, 


woman's  endurance. 


213 


I,  and  native 
Honco,  slio 
fjiniilv,  and 
,  and  Bets(,'v 
bot  did  she 
aim :  "  Dear 
d  no  Betsey 
in  her  per- 
7£is  attended 
/■as  the  con- 
Y  doubt  was 
ey.  In  this 
on  smoothly 
n  the  course 
ig  from  tlie 
put  by  Mrs. 
disappeared. 
[•  among  the 
5  had  often 
!ceiv(!d  from 
ut  it  in  the 
ment  of  the 

tly  silent  on 
hought  that 
nner  of  Bet- 
ry,  she  had 
ttish  in  her 
her.  From 
lecome  care- 
dark-brown 
ip,  was  now 


left  loose  and  tangled.  And  then  there  was  an  evident 
sign  of  guilt  in  her  countenance  ;  for  she  could  no  longer, 
as  had  been  her  wont,  look  with  the  steady  and  fearless 
gaze  of  innocence  in  the  face  of  one  with  whom  she  was 
talking.  All  this  had  not  escaped  the  scrutinizing  eye 
of  the  Captain,  who  judged,  and  judged  rightly,  that 
there  must  be  a  cause  for  all  this  change  in  Betsey 
But  still,  he  was  at  a  loss  as  to  the  best  mode  of  pro- 
cedure under  the  circumstances  ;  knowing  well,  that  if 
questioned  about  the  missing  articles,  she  would  deny 
all  knowledge  of  them.  At  length  he  formed  his  plan  of 
operations,  and  the  result  will  show  that  it  was  no  less 
the  dictate  of  prudence  than  of  mercy.  Looking  out  for 
a  favorable  opportunity  of  having  a  word  with  Betsey  in 
private,  it  was  not  long  before  it  offered  itself ;  and 
going  close  up  to  her,  he  said  in  a  quiet,  calm  way — 

"Betsey,  I  want  to  have  a  word  with  you — come 
along  with  me." 

Betsey,  it  was  evident,  was  greatly  alarmed  ;  but, 
assuming  the  tone  and  manner  of  over-done  confidence, 
said  in  a  pert  way — 

"  What  do  you  want  with  mo  ?" 

The  Captain,  without  appearing  to  notice  her  embar- 
rassment, said  in  a  more  commanding  way,  and  in  a 
(irmer  tone — 

"  Betsey,  come  this  way." 

She  promptly  obeyetl  the  summons,  and  moving  in  a 
dogged  way,  followed  him  into  her  own  room.  On  tlieir 
arrival  there,  the  Captain  locked  the  door,  putting  the 
key  in  his  pocket  ;  and  then  turning  to  her,  he  said — 

"  Betsey,  I  want  to  look  in  your  trunk  ;  let  me  have 
the  key." 


214 


THE     BLACK    PHANTOM;     OK, 


7^ 


Betsey,  with  a  face  of  crimson  iiue,  lier  eyes  ilasliiiig 
with  passion,  her  lips  quivering,  and  all  her  frame  trem- 
bling with  rage,  said — 

"  No,  indeed  ;  no  person  shall  look  into  my  trunk. 
What  do  you  want  with  ray  trunk  ?  There  is  nothing 
in  it  belonging  to  you  ;  and  if  there  is,  I  have  not  put  it 
there." 

All  this  outburst  of  fury  was  met  with  calm  and  cool 
resolution  on  the  part  of  the  Captain,  who  said,  v/ithout 
tho  least  movement  of  a  muscle  of  his  face — 

"  Betsey,  I  demand  your  key  ;  or,  if  you  refuse  to 
give  it  to  me,  I  will  break  it  open  myself ;"  at  the  same 
time  taking  out  of  his  pocket  a  hammer,  a  pair  of  pin- 
cers, and  a  stout  chisel. 

At  the  sight  of  these  implements  Betsey  (juailed,  and 
stood  confounded  before  him,  but  drew  the  key  from  her 
pocket  and  handed  it  to  him  ;  at  the  same  time  most 
strenuously  declaring,  that  if  there  was  any  thing 
therein  belonging  to  him,  it  must  have  been  put  there 
by  some  one  else. 

The  Captain  heed(;d  not  a  word  she  said,  but  delibe- 
rately unlocked  the  trunk  ;  when,  lo  and  behold  !  stowed 
away  in  different  parts,  were  all  the  lost  articles, 
wrapped  up  in  bits  of  rags.  Among  them  was  a  num- 
ber of  valuable  trinket  presents,  that  had  been  given  to 
Mrs.  Walters  in  her  young  days,  and  which  were  prized 
by  her  above  all  money  value.  All  were  brought  out  of 
the  trunk,  and  laid  upon  the  table  before  Betsey,  who 
was  still  stout  in  protestations  of  her  own  innocence, 
charging  the  crime  to  some  other  person.  But  the  Cap- 
tain, pointing  to  the  things  on  the  table,  and  looking 
Betsey  steadily  in  the  face,  said — 


woman's     ENDLMIANOE. 


215 


"  Now,  Betsey,  I  suppose  you  expect  that  I  will  send 
for  an  officer  of  justice  to  take  you  to  jail,  and  have  you 
tried  for  this  very  grave  offence,  the  penalty  for  which 
would  be  a  long  imprisonment ;  but  no,  Betsey,  I  will 
not  do  this,  I  will  not  so  expose  you.  If  I  do  not  send 
you  to  jail,  I  suppose  you  conclude  that  I  will  send  you 
home  to  your  father  and  mother,  with  my  reasons  for 
such  a  step.  That  might  prove  the  means  of  breaking 
their  hearts,  and  bringing  down  their  gray  hairs  with 
sorrow  to  the  grave.  No,  Betsey,  I  will  not  do  this. 
But,  if  I  am  thus  lenient,  you  cannot  but  expect  that  I 
will  by  all  means  inform  Mrs.  Walters.  And  then,  of 
course,  all  in  the  house  must  know  about  this,  that  all 
suspicion  may  be  removed  from  them,  and  placed  where 
it  rightfully  belongs.  But  no,"  said  the  Captain,  "  this 
is  between  you  and  me,  and  shall  ever  remain  so  ;  I  will 
not  expose  you,  Betsey." 

At  the  utterance  of  these  words  Betsey  showed  evi- 
dent signs  of  relenting  ;  when  the  Captain  takiiig  a 
neatly  bound  Testament  from  his  pocket,  presented  i*^^  to 
her,  saying — 

"Betsey,  I  have  learned  the  sentiments  that  have 
prompted  ray  coiiduct  i'rom  this  Book.  Take  you  this 
and  read  it,  and  treasure  up  its  truths  in  your  heart; 
and  in  all  your  future  days  i-egulate  your  conduct  by  its 
precepts  ;  and  you  will  then  be  kept  from  the  power  of 
temptation,  and  forever  free  from  any  fear  of  exposure." 

All  this  was  spoken  with  so  much  feeling,  and  with 
such  deep  sympathy  for  the  erring  girl  before  him,  that 
Iter  heart  was  softened,  and  her  stubbornness  vanislied. 
lie  had  won  on  her  better  nature  ;  her  pent  up  feelings 
burst  forth,  and  a  copious  flow  of  tears  came  to  her 


216 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


relief,  and,  falling  down  before  him,  she  clasped  Iuh 
knees  in  her  arms,  and  with  an  agony  of  soul  cried 
out- — 

"  Oh,  Captain  Walters,  you  have  saved  me  from  ruin. 
My  father,  my  more  than  father,  how  can  I  ever  repay 
you  for  all  this  ?" 

The  Captain  very  tenderly  raised  her  from  her  knees, 
and  told  her  that  she  should  thank  God  and  not  him. 
All,  he  said,  he  should  exact  of  her  was,  that  she  should 
keep  her  own  counsel,  and  replace  every  article  where 
she  found  it.  Before  he  left  the  room  he  prayed  with 
and  for  her  ;  and  then  unlocking  the  door,  he  left  her  to 
her  own  meditations.  Agreeable  to  his  directions,  every 
article  that  had  been  so  mysteriously  taken  away,  was 
silently  and  secretly  deposited  in  the  places  from  which 
they  had  been  taken,  to  the  astonishment  of  every  mem- 
ber of  the  family.  And  this  was  often  spoken  of  by  Mrs. 
Walters  to  her  husband,  but -he  himself  obs'  rved  the 
strict  secrecy  he  had  imposed  on  Betsey. 

After  the  occurrence  of  the  above  circumstances,  it 
was  really  astonishing  to  see  the  transformation  in  tlio 
appearance  and  general  behavior  of  Betsey.  Siic  had 
not  been  restored  to  that  buoyant  hilarity  that  so  strong- 
ly marked  her  character  when  she  was  first  introduced 
to  our  notice  ;  there  was  not  that  hearty,  ringing  laugli, 
that  gave  token  of  the  innocent  and  light-minded  girl. 
But  she  had  now  entirely  lost  tliat  guilty  look,  that 
sideward  glancing  of  the  eye,  when  spoken  to.  Her 
dress  gave  evidence  of  more  thoughtful  care,  without 
any  of  the  show-oif  air  that  had  been  so  noticeable  be- 
fore. Yet  there  was  nothing  of  the  prim  and  precise 
prude  about  her  :  every  tiling  was  easy,  steady,   and 


woman's  endurance. 


217 


natural— she   had   become  so  womanly,  so  thonj:r},tful, 
and  even  graceful.     And  when  there  was  any  thin^^  of 
a  pleasing  nature  introduced,  her  intelligent  face  was 
immediately  lighted  up  by  a  smile  as  sweet  as  it  was 
natural.     And  then  she  moved  about  the  house  with  so 
noiseless  a  tread,  and  every  department  of  her  duty  was 
performed   in   so  satisfactory  a  way,  that  she  elicited 
praise  from  every  one.     At  the  least  intimation  given 
by  the  Captain  of  a  wish  or  a  want,  Betsey  flew,  as  it 
were,  to  its   performance.      But  while   she   was   tiuis 
prompt,  there  was  care  observed,  as  if  nothing  could  be 
done  too  well  for  Captain  Walters.     Indeed,  she  was  so 
completely  controlled  by  the  desire  to  serve  and  gratify 
him,  that  if  she  thought  he  had  any  unexpressed  wish, 
it  was  a  source  of  pain  to  her.      This  change  was   a 
subject  of  wonder  and  remark  to  all  in  the  house  ;  but 
tiiey  knew  not  the  secret  spring  of  action  that  moved  so 
sweetly  the  grateful  heart  of  Betsey.     In  her  feelings 
and  expressions  of  sorrow  she  was  only  second  to  Mrs. 
Walters  herself,  as  she  saw  the  daily,  and  indeed  hourly 
waning  health  and  strength  of  the  Captain.     This  proved 
a  strong  tie  between  Mrs.  Walters  and  Betsey,  for  the 
former  could  not  be  insensible  to  conduct  exhibiting  so 
strongly  a  desire  to  serve  him  who  was  the  chief  object 
of  her  own  love  and  solicitude.     And  such  was  the  con- 
fidence with  which  she  had  inspired  the  heart  of  Mrs. 
Walters,  that  the  latter  always  felt  easy  in   her  mind 
when  she  knew  that  Betsey  was  within  hailing  distance 
of  her  husband.     What  tended  to  raise  still  hig-her  her 
appreciation  of  Betsey's  worth  as  a  tender  nurse,  was 
that  on  several  occasions  of  late,  when,  on  gently  open- 
ing the  door  which  opened  into  her  husband's  room,  she 

10 


«''i 


218 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


'1 


had  observed  Betsey  on  her  knees,  deeply  engaged  with 
the  Captain  in  an  act  of  devotion.  Betsey  was  at  once 
tireless  and  sleepless  in  her  attentions  to  the  Captain, 
for  it  mattered  not  whether  it  was  night  or  day,  when 
there  was  a  demand  for  her  services,  she  was  ever  at 
hand. 

Fortunate  indeed  was  it  for  Mrs.  Walters  that  she 
had  such  an  assistant  in  this  time  of  her  sore  affliction, 
feeling  as  she  did  that  she  was  about  to  be  left  lonely 
in  the  world,  and  cut  off  as  it  were  from  civilization. 
There  was  not  in  the  world,  so  far  as  she  knew,  a  single 
individual  with  whom  she  could  claim  kindred.  No 
wonder  if  at  times  she  was  sad  and  melancholy.  But 
her  husband's  mind  was  calm  and  serene,  so  far  had  the 
grace  of  God  jained  the  control  of  his  soul.  Howtiver, 
he  still  felt,  and  felt  deeply,  for  his  wife.  Knowing 
that  he  was  about  to  leave  her  a  widow  indeed,  and 
lonely  in  the  wide,  wide  world,  he  endeavored,  feelingly 
and  affectionately,  to  soothe  her  sorrow.  With  perspi- 
cuity and  force  he  often  adduced  those  precious  prom- 
ises suited  to  her  case.  Sorrowful  and  sad  as  she  might 
be  on  her  own  account,  she  could  not  but  rejoice  on  be- 
half of  her  husband,  seeing  him  so  contident  in  Jeshu- 
run's  covenant-keeping  God. 

It  was  now  nearly  the  close  of  the  winter  season,  and 
at  times,  such  was  the  flattering  appearance  of  the  dis« 
ease  of  Captain  Walters,  they  were  led  to  hope  that,  on 
the  arrival  of  the  warm  and  inspiriting  weather  ol 
•»ring,  he  might  rally,  as  he  was  yet  comparatively 
>.>ung.  But  as  often  were  these  flat:ering  and  decep- 
t,  »'e  <vxpectations  cut  off  by  a  relapse  that  generally  left 
iiim  t^iiil  weaker.     The  hectic  flush  on  his  cheek,  and 


woman's    El^DURANCE. 


219 


tlie  larp^c,  clear,  but  pclassy  eye,  told  all  too  plainly  tluit 
tlie  destroyer  was  pursuino^  his  track  with  uiideviating 
:ii)d  unfaltering  step.  But  still  he  lingered  on  and  on. 
Tli<!  balmy  breezes  of  spring  and  the  enlivening  warmth 
of  the  vernal  sun  exerted  their  magic  ijifluences  over  ti)(> 
face  of  nature,  inviting  the  feathered  wanderers  to  re- 
turn from  the  too  ardent  south  ;  inducing  the  various 
chrysalids  to  open  their  prison-doors,  and  send  forth 
their  gaudy,  spangled  inmates,  to  give  variety  and 
beauty  to  the  scene  ;  and  more  than  all,  renewing  the 
glories  of  the  vegetable  world  :  but  all  tlujse  were  pow- 
erless to  allure  or  bribe  from  his  purpose  the  foe  that 
was  preying  upon  the  vitals  of  Captain  Walters. 

It  may  be  supposed  that,  under  the  circumstances,  the 
immediate  family  of  Captain  Walters  were  not  the  only 
ones  who  felt  a  deep  anxiety  on  his   behalf.     No.     He 
had  been  the  chief  instrument,  under  God,  of  a  move- 
ment of  no  ordinary   magnitude   and   imitortance,   and 
which  had  been  the  means  of  associating  In'm  with  the 
destiny  of  the  deathless  spirits  of  some  of  those  v/ho  re- 
sided in  the  neighborhood.     And  it  would  be  no  wonder,, 
then,  to  find  that  many  and  anxious  were  the  inquiries 
daily  made  regarding  his  health,  and  that  numerous  and 
fervent  were  the  prayers  continually  ascending  to  the 
thnme  of  grace  for  him  and  his.     It  was  not  that  they, 
in  their  beneficence,  had  clothed  the  naked  and  fed  the 
linngry,  or  visited  the  sick  and  suffering  in  their  cabins, 
though  this  had  been  done  ;  but  that  they  had  been  in- 
strumental, in  the  hand  of  God,  in  bringing  them  to  the 
knowledge  of  salvation  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  of  putting  them  in  possession  of  the  peace  of  God 
that  passeth   understanding.     These   people,   so   lately 


2'20 


TUE    JiLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


-1 


irnrriersocl  in  sf^mi-barburisin,  wava  now  so  far  hnniani/etl 
tliat  their  lioarts  wero  ready  to  break  at  the  thonglit  of 
losing  by  death  hinj  whom  they  could  call  father  in  the 
Lord.  And  their  sympathies  were  not  the  mere  expres- 
sions of  tiieir  lips,  but  were  (evidenced  by  the  presenta- 
tion of  many  little  trifles — not  of  much  worth  in  them- 
selves, but  of  value  as  showing  a  disposition  in  the 
g'iver,  that  said  in  the  very  act,  I  would  do  more  if  I 
could.  But  neither  the  afiection  of  a  tender-hearted  wife, 
the  ever-ready  assiduities  of  the  members  of  his  own 
family,  nor  the  prayers,  sympathy,  and  ardent  solicitude 
of  their  neighbors,  could  stay  the  onward  march  of  the 
foe,  lor  nearer,  and  still  nearer,  he  comes. 

On  a  day  in  the  early  part  of  June,  when  all  nature 
was  dressed  in  her  gayest  attire,  radiant  with  beauty 
and  teeming  with  life  on  every  hand,  the  carriage  of 
Mr.  Le  Clair  was  driven  into  the  yard.  On  entering 
tlie  residence  of  Mr.  Walters,  what  a  contrast  to  the 
outside  appearance  of  things,  as  he  had  just  viewed 
them,  is  presented  1  There  every  thing  is  bright  and 
joyous  :  here  there  is  sadness  on  every  face,  and  every 
tongue  is  held  as  by  the  very  spirit  of  silence  ;  and  who- 
ever he  speaks  to  responds  in  a  low  whisper,  and  all 
seem  as  though  afraid  of  hearing  the  sound  of  their  own 
footfall. 

Mr.  Le  Clair  was  introduced  into  the  room  of  the 
djnng  man  of  God,  and  found  him  with  his  faculties 
in  full  vigor,  his  soul  all  aglow  with  love  to  God,  and 
his  confidence  strong  in  His  promise  that  He  would 
support  him  while  passing  through  the  dark  valley  of 
death.  He  informed  Mr.  Le  Clair  that  he  had  selected 
him  to  assist  in  the  last  sad  duties  required  for  the  dead. 


woman's  endurance. 


221 


and  trusted  he  would  see  tliat  his  remains  were  depos- 
ited in  the  little  mound  he  had  himself  selected,  and 
where  he  had  superintended  the  planting  of  a  number  of 
young  trees  that  in  time  would  grow  up  and  form  a 
shade  over  the  resting-place  of  all  that  remained  on  earth 
of  Robert  Walters.  And  those  green  trees  would  be  all 
tlic  monument  he  desired  to  be  raised  to  his  memory. 

"  Except  the  monuments  that  have  been  raised  in 
many  a  human  heart,"  said  Mr.  Le  Clair,  "  and  cemented 
by  tears  of  true  and  sincere  affection,  that  will  Ix;  more 
durable  and  of  higher  estimation  than  tablets  of  marble 
or  brass." 

At  this  Captain  Walters  said,  with  a  pleasing  smile 
lighting  up  his  noble  and  intellectual  face — "  Not  unto 
us,  0  Lord  !  but  unto  Thy  name  be  all  the  praise." 

The  Captain  continued,  with  ebbs  and  flows  of  feeling, 
sometimes  reviving,  and  then  again  subsiding  from  very 
weakness,  when  his  words  were  few  and  his  voice  feeble. 
But,  with  what  little  strength  he  had,  his  words  were 
full  of  fervor,  and  his  visions  of  glory  clear  and  beauti- 
ful ;  for  his  spirit  was  fully  ripe  for  association  with  the 
blessed. 

The  best  criterion,  perhaps,  by  which  to  judge  of  the 
esteem  in  which  a  man  has  been  held  in  life,  is  by  the 
mmibers  who  attend  his  funeral,  and  especially  when 
that  attendance  is  associated  with  the  deep  sympathies 
of  their  hearts.  If  this  be  true,  never  was  man  more 
highly  esteemed  than  in  the  instance  before  us,  lor  if 
every  mother  there  had  lost  the  darling  of  her  licai't, 
and  every  father  his  first-born,  their  sorrow  could  not 
have  been  more  deep  or  general  than  it  was  at  the  fu- 
neral of  Captain  Walters. 


T!"" 


222 


THE  K r. A c K   phantom;   or, 


i 


^. 


The  sceno  be^p^firs  all  description,  for  the  reqniorn 
then;  chanted  was  the  wailincjs  of  riven  hearts,  and  the 
ritiiiil  rehearsed  was  the  sobs  of  pun?  aifection.  But 
chief  ainon/^  the  nionrners  was  Mrs.  Walters  and  Betsey, 
The  contrast  prescnited  by  these  two  was  so  stronjj^ly 
marked  as  to  be  noticed  by  a  number  of  persons.  While 
the  sorrow  of  Mrs.  Walters  was  evinced  by  deep  emo- 
tion, there  was  yet  a  strong  controlling-  power  that  held 
a  tight  rein  upon  her  feelings  ;  and  then  she  niouriki'd 
as  one  not  without  hope.  But,  on  the  part  of  Betsey, 
there  was  a  wild  abandonment  to  feeling  that  was 
alarming,  and  it  seemed  as  if  coercion  might  be  re- 
quired to  get  her  from  the  coffin.  Indeed,  many  thought 
her  reason  was  dethroned,  for,  in  tin?  bewilderment  of 
her  frenzy  she  cried  out — 

"  Oh,  he  saved  me  from  ruin,  my  more  than  father  ! 
How  can  I  part  with  him,  my  best,  my  very  best  friend  I 
What  should  I  have  been  but  for  him  ?" 

This  was  considered  by  the  lookers  on  as  the  wild 
ravings  of  a  maniac  ;  but  still,  it  was  treasured  up  in  the 
memory  of  more  than  one  of  those  who  were  present. 
Poor  little  Baptiste  exhibited  somewhat  of  the  keen 
sensibility  of  a  woman,  by  the  pungency  of  his  sorrow, 
and  the  abundant  flow  of  his  tears.  And  the  two  trusty 
men  who  had  been  the  stalwart  companions  in  arms  of 
Captain  Walters,  Jones  and  Brown,  stood  like  two 
statues  beside  the  coffin  ;  but  they  were  swayed  by 
deep  inward  sorrow,  though  with  less  outward  manifes- 
tation. But  their  wives  and  their  two  little  children 
were  quite  obstreperous  under  their  sad  bereavement. 
A  fine  specimen  of  dignity  and  manly  sorrow,  there 
stood  Mr.  Le  Clair,  and  perhaps  no  opportunity  could 


woman's  endurance. 


223 


rcqnicm 

and  thf! 

11.      But 

Betsey. 

stroiif^ly 

.    While 

sep  cino- 

hat  held 

nioiirijed 

Betsey, 

[lat   was 

t  be  r(3- 

tliOUgllt 

meiit  of 

father  ! 
;  friend  1 

the  wild 
ip  ill  the 
present, 
le  keen 
sorrow, 
o  trusty 
arms  of 
ko  two 
lyed  by 
nanifes- 
children 
vement. 
7,  there 
:y  could 


have  been  given  to  sliow  the  g-enuinc  firniness  of  tin; 
Indian  character  like  tlu^  present.  All  the?  cluiracteris- 
tics  of  the  two  nati(jns  from  which  lie  derived  his  oriu"in 
were  strongly  portrayed  in  him — there  was  a  ready  and 
])leasing  affability  softening  the  sterner  sadness  of  the 
moment. 

Keen  and  deep  as  was  the  sorrow  of  all  pres(?nt,  there 
was  a  stern  necessity  for  terminating  tliis  scene,  for  the 
shades  of  evening  began  to  notify  tliera  tliat  time  was 
moving  onward  ;  and  when  the  last  kiss  was  imprinted 
on  that  fair  and  noble  forehead  by  his  stricken-hearted 
widow,  the  remains  were  forever  closed  to  the  contem- 
plation of  human  eyes,  and  solemnly  conveyed  to  their 
last  resting-place,  a  spot  which  had  been  selected,  as 
has  been  already  noticed,  by  the  Captain  himself,  and 
one  of  surpassing  beauty — a  mound  of  considerable  ele- 
vation, supposed  to  have  been  the  burial-place  of  some 
ancient  tribe  of  Indians.  Besides  being  a  place  strongly'- 
marked  by  njiture,  it  had  been  further  ornamented  by 
the  planting  of  a  choice  selection  of  young  trees,  that 
would  eventually  add  greatly  to  the  picturesque  beauty 
of  the  spot.  There  rests,  in  that  ancient  mound,  the 
ashes  of  the  late  Captain  Robert  Walters,  and  there  tiiey 
will  remain  until  the  trump  of  the  angel  of  God  shall 
call  them  forth,  to  join  in  the  glories  of  the  first  resur- 
rection. 

Right  faithfully  and  delicately  had  Mr.  Le  Clair  car- 
ried out  the  wishes  and  injunctions  of  his  late  friend, 
and  after  offering  his  condolence,  and  giving  liis  advice 
on  some  subjects  that  had  been  submitted  to  iiis  judg- 
ment by  Mrs.  Walters,  he  departed  to  attend  to  the 
transaction  of  business  connect(;d  with  his  own  aflaira 


224 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


Rut  boforo  hiH  (l(!pJirtiiro  .*i  promiso  was  f^iven,  and  with 
mournful  pleaHuro  responded  to,  that  he  woukl  occa- 
sionally call,  and  thus  keep  uj)  iho.  tViendrtliip  that  had 
been  formed  under  more  pleasin<j;'  auspice's.  At  the 
same  time,  Mr.  Le  Clair  said  that  should  any  enierf:;en{!y 
arise  in  which  she  mi<j^ht  need  the  advice  or  assistance 
of  a  friend,  ii  would  always  aflbrd  him  higli  gratification 
to  serve  her. 


'1 


woman's  endurance 


225 


CHAPTER    XX. 

Deep,  wide,  and  lonp^-cnduriiig  was  the  chasm  that 
liad  been  made  in  that  once  happy  family  circle.  That 
si^niilicant  old  Saxon  term  ho>ise-bond  well  expresses  the 
closr  relati(mship,  the  strong  ccmtroUing  tic  that  binds 
the  household  togetiier— the  man  at  the  head  of  the 
family,  the  husband.  When  he  is  removed  by  death,  or 
otherwise,  the  family  union  is  in  a  good  degree  dis- 
rupted, and  is  often  subjected  to  ^disintegration.  That 
this  was  not  the  case  with  the  family  circle  of  the  late 
Captain  Walters,  was  owing  to  the  strong  mind  and 
controlling  influence  of  Mrs.  Walters.  Si>e  had  clearness 
of  perception  to  see  her  proper  woman's  sphere,  and 
strength  of  will  to  enable  her  to  meet  all  the  demands  of 
her  responsible  position.  She  now  found  that  the  do- 
mestic knowledge  she  had  acquired  under  the  tuition  of 
the  skilful  and  prudent  Mrs.  Baldwin,  might  be  put  in 
requisition  with  the  best  effects.  What  she  had  often 
said  was  now  verified — that  there  was  a  providence  in 
her  having  been  so  mysteriously  thrown  into  the  com- 
pany of  that  estimable  lady.  And  it  was  with  no  small 
profit  to  herself,  and  to  her  family,  that  she  had  so  closely 
studied  the  precepts  of  poor  Richard,  and  stored  up  in 
her  memory  and  reduced  to  practice  the  numerous  reci- 
pes so  carefully  written  out  for  her  by  Mrs.  Baldwin. 
She  showed  herself,  indeed,   by  hcc  aptitude  and  her 

10* 


226 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


-1 


abil'ty  to  accommodate  herself  to  circumstances,  a  su- 
perior manager  of  a  farm-house.  And  then  she  had  such 
nerve  and  such  mental  energy,  and  had  so  increased  her 
muscular  force,  that  she  was  placed  far  in  advance  of 
those  puny  females  who  are  startled  by  every  breath  of 
cold  air,  or  shrink  from  a  storm  that  might  reach  their 
dainty  persons  or  ruffle  their  dress.  Yet,  with  all  this, 
there  was  nothing  coarse,  or  rough,  or  masculine  in  her 
appearance  or  manner.  No  J  there  was  associated  with 
the  busy  and  thrift}''  housewife,  the  high  polish  of  a  cul- 
tivated taste,  and  the  amiability  of  disposition  of  a  Chris- 
tian lady.  And  while  she  bore  herself  with  dignity,  from 
an  innate  sense  of  self-respect,  yet  she  would  listen  kindly 
to  the  plaint  of  sorrow  or  the  tale  of  woe,  when  uttered 
by  the  humble  and  the  poor  ;  and  her  hand  was  ever 
ready  to  obey  the  dictates  of  her  compassionate  heart. 

Under  her  able  management,  all  the  plans  and  contem- 
plated improvements  of  her  late  husband  were  prose- 
cuted and  consummated  with  becoming  vigor — giving 
emplo^'^ment  to  a  number  of  poor  but  industrious  men, 
and  thus  sustaining  their  dependent  families.  And  such 
was  the  willing  deference  paid  to  her,  that  she  had  oTily 
to  indicate  a  wish,  to  meet  with  a  ready  and  swift  com- 
pliance. Some  minds  are  so  peculiarlj''  fitted  to  rule, 
that  without  apparently  exercising  authority,  they  bend 
all  wills  to  their  purposes.  So  it  was  with  Mrs.  Wal- 
ters ;  and  hence  it  may  be  supposed  that  things  moved 
on  smoothly,  with  little  friction,  both  within-doors  and 
on  the  farm.  Carrying  out  the  intentions  of  her  late 
husband,  one  hundred  acres  of  the  bush  were  cut  down 
by  the  opening  of  spring,  and  all  ready  to  be  burned  oil' 
at  the  first  spell  of  fine  weather. 


woman's  endurance. 


227 


Bs,  a  su- 
lad  such 
ased  her 
ranco  of 
roath  of 
,ch  thoir 
all  this, 
lie  in  her 
,ted  with 
of  a  cul- 
'  a  Chris- 
ity,  from 
)n  kindly 
a  uttered 
vas  ever 
p  heart. 
I  contern- 
'e  prose- 
— giving;: 
:)us  men, 
Uid  such 
had  only 
mft  cf)m- 
to  rule, 
wy  bend 
rs.  Wal- 
8  moved 
)ors  and 
her   late 
nit  down 
urned  olV 


An  event  of  no  small  moment  now  occurred  in  the 
family — the  sickness  and  death  of  Betsey,  and  this  under 
very  remarkable  and  exciting  circumstances.  After  the 
death  of  Captain  Walters,  there  appeared  to  be  deep 
and  undefiiiable  eifects  left  up(m  her  mind.  She  seemed 
to  be  brooding  over  some  inward  sorrow,  other  than  that 
occasioned  by  the  death  of  Captain  Walters.  The  minds 
of  Mrs.  Brown  and  Mrs.  Jones  had  become  possessed  of 
very  strange  notions  from  the  wild  manner  and  inco- 
herent expressions  that  she  let  fall  at  the  funeral.  In 
about  three  mouths  after  that  event,  she  was  seized  with 
violent  typhoid,  apparently  the  effects  of  the  deep  sorrow 
that  overwhelmed  her,  which  soon  reduced  her  to  a  state 
of  childlike  helplessness,  and  disturbed  the  balance  of 
her  mind.  During  this  state  of  mental  aberration,  she 
would  start  as  if  seized  with  excessive  terror,  and  cry 
out— 

"  Yes,  it  was  I  who  stole  them — I  took  every  one  of 
them  I" 

She  would  then  subside,  aud  remain  for  a  short  time 
in  a  st  ite  of  stupor  ;  and  then  again  shriek  out — 

"  It  was  the  devil  prompted  me  ;  he  helped  me  to  take 
them,  and  ray  own  wicked  heart  said,  ^  iTes,  take  thira  1' 
Oh  !  I  was  foolish  and  wick*  d  !" 

After  this,  in  a  calm  manner,  ;md  with  a  subdued  tone 
of  voice,  she  would  say — 

"  I  wonder  who  it  was  that  told  Captain  Walters  that 
I  liad  them  all  in  my  trunk  !  Oh  I  it  was  God  who  told 
him,  to  save  me  from  going  to  hell  !" 

And  tlien,  in  a  softer  and  moro  gentle  way,  she  would 
fiay— 

"  Oil !  how  good  it  was  in  Captain  Walters  rot  Ij  tell 


228 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


my  father  and  mother,  and  not  to  send  me  to  jail  !  And 
then  he  told  me  that  he  would  not  tell  Mrs.  Walters — 
neither  did  he  ;  was  not  that  good  of  him  !  But  I  put 
them  all  back  again  where  I  got  them.  And  was  not 
that  a  pretty  Testament  he  gave  me  !  Oh  1  what  a 
sweet  prayer  he  made  to  God  for  me,  when  we  knelt 
down  before  he  left  the  room  !" 

All  this  was  spoken  in  short,  broken  sentences,  at 
different  times  through  the  days  and  nights  of  her  sick- 
ness. She  had  indeed  filled  her  soul  with  remorse,  and 
embittered  her  last  moments.  Often,  as  she  lay,  she 
seemed  as  if  talking  to  some  one,  with  her  eyes  fixed  on 
vacancy  ;  and  the  theme  of  all  her  talk  was  the  crime 
of  which  she  had  been  guilty,  in  purloining  the  articles 
intrusted  to  her  care. 

But  the  ears  of  Mrs.  Walters,  as  well  as  of  the  two 
women,  Mrs.  Brown  and  Mrs.  Jones,  were  attentive  to 
catch  every  word,  yea,  half  a  word.  All  this  was  as- 
sociated with  the  wild  words  and  frantic  actions  of  Bet- 
sey on  the  day  of  the  funeral ;  and  they  now  concluded 
that  there  had  been  good  reason  for  her  conduct.  Mrs. 
Walters  said  very  little  on  the  subject,  except  words  of 
pity  and  compassion.  But  when  Betsey  alluded  to  the 
silence  of  her  late  husband,  and  of  his  goodness  in  not 
exposing  her,  she  said — 

"  Yes,  it  was  just  like  the  goodness  and  the  tender- 
ness of  his  heart.  He  was  like  his  Lord  and  Master — 
he  would  not  break  the  bruised  reed." 

But  Mrs.  Brown  was  full  of  all  sorts  of  surmisings, 
and  wonderings,  and  suggestions.  And  Mrs,  Jones,  at 
every  wild  expression  uttered  by  Betsey,  would  raise 
her  hands,  expressive   of  holy  horror,   and   give   still 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


229 


I!  And 
'alters — 
•lit  I  put 
was  not 
what  a 
le  knelt 

nces,  at 
ler  sick- 
rse,  and 
lay,  she 
fixed  on 
e  crime 
articles 

the  two 
ntive  to 
was  as- 
of  Bet- 
•ncluded 
t.  Mrs. 
Tv^ords  of 
d  to  the 
J  in  not 

tender- 
faster — 


greater  expansion  to  her  large  eyes,  soliloquizing  in  an 
undertone — 

"  Well,  who  would  ever  have  thought  it  !  Dear  me, 
I'm  sure  there's  no  knowing  who  to  trust !  Mercy  upon 
us  !  surely,  the  world  must  be  coming  to  an  end,  there 
is  so  much  wickedness  now-a-days  1" 

The  fever  was  of  such  a  virulent  type  that  it  made 
short  work  with  Betsey.  Although  she  had  a  few  lucid 
moinents,  yet  these  were  embittered  by  the  recollection 
of  her  sins.  They  had  indeed  planted  her  dying  pillow 
witli  ;horns.  She  had,  however,  done  all  that  lay  in  her 
p;;v/ej  .  rectify  the  crime  of  which  she  had  been  guilty, 
and  aa  some  small  atonement,  she  had  made  a  full  and 
clear  statement  to  Mrs.  Walters  before  her  death  ;  and 
under  her  clear  and  pointed  instructions,  had  been  able 
to  throw  her  soul,  with  all  its  interests,  on  Christ.  Yet 
her  death  was  not  like  that  of  Captain  Walters — calm, 
clear,  confident,  and  gloriously  triumphant. 


mismgs, 
ones,  at 
Id  raise 
ive    still 


230 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


7\ 


B'LTWEEN  three  and  four  months  after  the  death  of 
Betijey,  Mr.  Le  Clair  paid  a  visit  to  Mrs.  Walters  ;  and 
though  he  was  receive!^  vrith  great  cordiality  by  her, 
yet  there  was  an  apparei  '  aint  at  times  in  the  man- 

ners of  both.  It  was  true  tr  held  friendly  and  familiar 
converse  on  general  subjects.  On  one  occasion  they 
walked  in  company  to  the  little  picturesque  mound 
where  lay  entombed  the  remains  of  her  late  husband. 
Both  exhibited  great  propriety  in  their  conduct.  While 
she  evinced  a  true  womanly  feeling  on  her  part,  there 
was  on  his  an  exhibition  of  becoming  respect  to  her 
heart-sorrows.  It  might  have  been  that  they  both  felt 
a  delicacy,  induced  by  the  change  in  their  relative  posi- 
tion. She  was  now  free  from  her  marital  bonds,  and  yet 
in  the  bloom  of  youth,  and  withal  of  a  highly  sympa- 
thetic nature.  He  was  one  year  older  than  she,  and 
with  a  heart  as  tender  as  it  was  good  and  pure.  So 
devoid  was  he  of  all  guile,  that  he  carried  truth  and 
honesty  in  his  very  looks  ;  and  the  words  of  prudence 
and  wisdom  were  ever  flowing  from  his  lips. 

The  time  came  for  Mr.  Le  Clair  to  leave.  Mrs.  Wal- 
ters gave  him  an  invitation  to  renew  his  visit,  to  whicli 
*he  warmly  responded,  promising  that  he  would  most 
assuredly  avail  himself  of  the  privilege. 

Mrs.  Walters  felt  still  more  lonely  for  the  visit  of  Mr. 
Le  Clair,  as  it  had  been  to  her  a  momentary  gleam  of 


woman's  endurance. 


231 


eath  of 
8  ;    and 
by  her, 
le  man- 
'amiliar 
11  they 
mound 
asband. 
While 
;,  there 
to  her 
>th  felt 
'e  posi- 
.nd  3^et 
sympa- 
e,  and 
e.     So 
;h   and 
idence 

.  Wal- 
which 
I  most 

of  Mr. 
jam  of 


sunshine,  which,  vanishing  with  his  departure,  had  left, 
by  contrast,  a  deeper  g-loom  upon  her  mind.  Her  feel- 
ings were  disturbed,  and  her  thoughts  all  confusion, 
and  she  now  felt  her  loneliness  pressing*  with  crushino* 
weight  upon  her  spirits.  Of  all  the  desolation  felt  at 
any  time  by  the  human  heart,  that  of  the  mourning 
widow  is  doubtless  the  deepest,  especially  where  she 
mourns  the  loss  of  such  a  partner  as  Captain  Walters. 
But  the  heart  is  so  self-adjusting,  that  it  bends  and  ^^oon 
accommodates  itself  to  circumstances  ;  and  especially 
as  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Walters,  who  was  governed  by 
an  enlightened  acknowledgment  of,  and  trust  in,  the  all- 
disposing  providence  of  Heaven.  But,  with  all  her  trust 
and  resignation,  she  was  still  a  woman,  and  now  felt 
her  woman's  need — a  sustaining  arm  on  which  to  lean. 
She  felt  that  she  was  still  in  the  world,  and  had  to  con- 
tend in  the  world's  battles.  And  she  found  that,  how- 
ever highly  organized  and  endowed,  phj^sically  and  men- 
tally, woman  has  her  own  sphere  of  action,  and  out  of  it 
she  is  out  of  her  place.  She  had  learned,  too,  that  to 
meet  all  the  requirements  of  a  household,  and  to  com- 
plete the  arrangements  of  a  home,  a  sterner  and  stur- 
dier nature  is  required  than  woman's. 

Mr.  Le  Clair,  after  his  departure,  felt  somewhat  at  a 
loss  to  define  his  state  of  mind.  He  had  been  pleased, 
it  was  true,  with  the  mental  resources,  and  the  endow- 
ments of  mind  of  Mrs.  Walters,  and  by  her  fine  per- 
sonal appearance  ;  ,^at  her  moral  virtues,  which  are 
the  greatest  ornament  of  a  woman,  had,  unknown  to 
himself,  completely  carried  him  captive,  so  that  she  had 
now  entire  possession  of  his  heart,  and  was  the  object 
that,  day  and  night,  occupied  his  thoughts. 


232 


THE     BLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


"^ 


Mr.  Lc  Clair  was  not  lonf^  in  determining  on  another 
visit  to  the  home  of  Mrs.  Walters.  But  he  found  his 
business  such,  tiiat  his  time  would  be  fully  occu])iod  for 
the  coming  two  weeks.  He  questioned  with  himself, 
audibly — 

"  Is  it  possible  that  two  whole  weeks  must  pass  be- 
fore I  can  see  her  again  ?" 

A  gentleman  close  at  his  side,  and  who  had  observed 
his  very  unusual  manner  and  absent-mindedness,  caught 
up  the  words,  and  said  to  him  in  a  kind  of  bantering, 
half-serious  way — 

"  Wiiy,  what  is  come  over  you,  Le  Clair  ;  who  is  this 
bewitching  fair  one  that  lias  thus  be'eu  drawing  on  your 
head  and  heart,  and  whom  you  so  ardently  desire  to  see 
again  so  soon  ?" 

TiR  Clair  started  ""  though  he  had  been  caught  in  the 
commission  of  a  grave  offence,  and  his  face  became  suf- 
fused as  if  he  were  stricken  with  a  deep  consciousness 
of  guilt.  He  stammered  out  some  incoherent  remark 
that  only  made  matters  worse,  and,  hanging  down  his 
head,  tried  to  hide  his  confusion  by  fumbling  among 
some  papers  in  his  desk.  The  gentleman  read  his 
thoughts  as  if  they  had  been  written  on  his  brow,  and 
with  tormenting  coolness  said — 

"  Why,  Le  Clair,  I  have  always  imagined  your  heart 
to  be  made  of  stone,  and  that  y6u  were  doomed  to  live 
and  die  a  batchelor.  Who  can  this  be,  that  has  thus 
caught  you  in  the  silken  meshes  of  her  toils  ?" 

Mr.  Le  Clair  protested  upon  his  word  and  honor  that 
his  friend  was  never  more  mistaken — that  he  had  never 
yet  seen  the  woman  who  ofiered  sufficient  inducements 
to  him  to  take  her  as  his  wife.     It  might  be  from  fas- 


woman's  endurance. 


233 


tidiousiicss  of  taste,  but  he  liud  over  turned  witli  a  kind 
of  loathing  from  the  excessive  frivolities  of  the  ()})posite 

Bex. 

All  this  was  said  with  a  calm  and  candid  seriousness 
that   threw  his  friend  altogether  ofi'  the  track  ;   but  he 

said — 

"Well,  we  shall  see  what  we  shall  see,  how(!ver. 
All  that  I  have  got  to  say  is,  that  you  are  either  in  love 
or  something  worse." 

Although  Mr.  Le  Clair  had  been  so  positive 'in  bis 
denial  of  his  being  in  love,  he  spoke  in  all  sincerity,  fo^ 
his  feelings  and  the  state  of  his  mind  were  a  mystery  to 
himself.    He  was  in  such  a  state  that  nothing  went  right 
with  him.     If  he  wrote,  there  was  confusion  of  ideas, 
and  he  made  sorry  work  with  his  books  ;  and  as  to  run- 
ning up  a  column  of  figures,  why,  he  might  as  well  have 
attempted  to  grasp  the  passing  cloud.     He  could  not 
fix  his  mind  for  two  minutes  in  succession.     It  was  far 
away— at,  as  he  called  it,  "Sweet-brier  Grove,"  a  name 
he  had  given  to  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Walters,  on  ac- 
count of  the  abundance  of  that  shrub   growing  in  the 
neighborhood.     Suffice  it  to  say,  he  passed  the  fourteen 
days  most  restlessly.     He   seemed  relieved  when  the 
morning  at  length  dawned  on  which  he  had  proposed  to 
himself  to  renew  his  visit  to  "  Sweet-brier  Grove,"  and 
for  which,  the  past  week,   he  had  been   making  more 
than  ordinary  preparations. 

On  the  morning  in  question,  under  considerable  trepi- 
dation, he  started  on  his  eventful  journey.  It  was  a 
very  beautiful  day  in  early  autumn,  and  the  variouM 
foliage  of  the  forest  was  tinged  by  gentle  touches  of 
frost.     The  hues  of  the  surrounding  woods  were  a  lively 


234 


THE  BLACK  phantom;   or, 


A 


representation  of  Mr.  Le  Clair'8  mind  and  heart,  agitated 
as  they  were  by  conflicting  thoughts  and  feelings,  from 
tiie  sombre  shades  of  doubt  to  the  florid  tints  of  hope. 
In  this  state,  nearly  at  the  close  of  day,  he  arrived  in 
sight  of  "Sweet-brier  Grove."  There  now  appeared  to 
be  something  strange  and  unusual  disturbing  his  inner 
self — there  was  a  fluttering  of  the  heart,  a  bewilderment 
of  ideas.  He  had  heretofore  always  gone  up  boldly  to 
the  house  of  Mrs.  "Walters,  without  hesitancy  ;  but  now 
what  a  change  had  come  over  him  !  Long  might  he 
have  remained  in  this  state  of  bewilderment,  sitting  in 
his  vehicle  ir»  the  silent  and  solitary  wood,  had  not  our 
friend  Baptiste  very  opportunely  come  up,  returning 
from  a  commission  on  which  he  had  been  sent  by  Mrs. 
Walters.  On  recognizing  Mr.  Le  Clair,  he  introduced 
himself  very  politely  in  fluent  French,  which  in  a  mo- 
ment broke  the  spell  by  which  the  former  had  been 
bound.  This  was  a  very  fortunate  circumstance  for  him, 
for  Baptiste's  loquaciousness  provoked  a  similar  vein  of 
talkativeness  in  Mr.  Le  Clair  ;  and  thus  occupied,  in  ii 
short  time  they  arrived  at  the  house,  where  Baptiste, 
ever  ready  and  alert,  took  the  horse  of  Mr.  Le  Clair 
under  his  special  management.  The  door  was  promptly 
opened  by  Mrs.  Walters,  for  his  approach  had  been  ob- 
served by  the  little  daughter  of  Mrs.  Jones. 

The  door  being  thrown  open,  it  must  be  confessed  that 
Mr.  Le  Clair,  on  meeting  Mrs.  Walters,  manifested  some 
confusion.  On  the  part  of  that  lady  it  must  be  said 
that  she  ;as  not  altogether  devoid  of  embarrassment  : 
but  she  put  out  her  hand,  which  was  taken  and  held  by 
her  visitor  in  a  manner  that  conveyed  the  unmistakable 
language  of  the  heart  ;  while  a  smile  played  over  her 


woman's   endurance. 


235 


features,  the  beaming-  forth  of  a  pure   soul,  the  simple 
but  certain  language  of  ingenuous  love. 

Mr.  Le  Clair  now  found  that  it  was  not  by  set  speech, 
or  by  formal  words,  tiiat  the  soul  can  divine  the  mean- 
ing of  a  kindred  soul.  He  learned  that  there  is  a  mute 
eloquence,  far  more  express:  e  than  the  language  of  the 
tongue. 

Little  ceremony  was  necessary  to  induct  the  welcome 
visitor  :  not  so  easy,  however,  to  calm  the  gentle  flutter, 
or  to  hush  the  soft  whisperings  of  the  little  winged 
myth  that  was  nestling  so  cozily  in  each  of  their  hearts. 
But  at  this  stage  of  their  acquaintance  it  waB  evident 
that,  although  they  could  not  fully  decipher  the  charac- 
ters that  were  being  written  on  the  inner  scroll  of  their 
own  natures,  they  could  read  distinctly  the  true  devo- 
tion of  their  honest  purpose. 

Although  every  thing  appeared  propitious  to  the  views 
and  wishes  of  Mr.  Le  Clair,  yet  there  was  a  restraint 
upon  his  own  freedom  of  speech  that  he  could  not  throw 
off.  He  was  no  bold  and  artful  pretender,  with  a  flow 
of  flowery  flattery  upon  his  tongue,  or  words  expressing 
feelings  that  were  foreign  to  his  heart.  So  far  from  this 
being  the  case,  he  was  all  true  and  genuine  emotion  ; 
but  this  emotion,  pent  up  in  his  own  breast,  actually  be- 
came painful  for  want  of  utterance  ;  and  he  was  often 
on  the  point  of  making  a  declaration  of  his  attachment, 
but  as  often  his  courage  or  self-confidence  failed  him. 

This  was  observed  by  Mrs.  Walters,  who,  with  wo- 
man's penetration  and  adroitness,  but  without  making  any 
direct  advances,  sought  to  remove  any  little  impediment 
that  she  supposed  calculated  to  embarrass  him.  But 
all  this  was  to  no  purpose  ;  for  while  there  was  elo- 


236 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM:    OR, 


quence  in  the  eye,  in  the  whole  countenance,  and  in  all 
his  manners,  still  words  were  not  at  his  will.  And  this 
state  of  things  continued  during  the  whole  of  the  time 
allotted  for  his  Btay,  and  he  actually  left  Mrs.  Waltc^rs 
without  having  made  any  explicit  expression  of  his 
sentiments. 

Before  he  left  his  home,  he  had  made  arrangements 
with  the  subordinates  in  his  oflfice  for  his  return  at  a 
certain  time,  as  there  was  urgent  business  on  hand  re- 
quiring his  presence.  When  the  stated  morning  arrived, 
the  indications  of  the  weather  were  any  thing  rather 
than  pleasant — in  fact,  there  were  signs  of  an  impending 
storm.  But  as  Mr.  Le  Clair  was  a  man  of  business,  and 
at  the  same  time  full  of  vigor,  no  trifle  could  deter  him 
when  his  purpose  was  once  formed.  But  in  this  case 
he  had  to  encounter  the  entreaties  and  persuasions  of 
Mrs.  Walters  ;  for  she  felt  for  his  health  and  comfort, 
and  even  for  his  safety.  It  would  be  so  very  dangerous 
for  him  to  venture  out  on  such  a  morning,  when  vast 
volumes  of  dense  black  clouds  were  looming  up  in  the 
distance.  She  declared  that  if  he  did  go,  she  would 
have  no  peace  of  mind  ;  and  she  would  be  so  impatient 
to  hear  if  his  health  had  suffered  from  exposure  to  the 
cold  and  wet  I  All  this  was  expressed  by  Mrs.  Walters 
with  more  than  ordinary  feeling,  and  it  so  touched  the 
heart  of  Mr.  Le  Clair  that  he  asked,  in  faltering  tones — 

"  Then,  are  the  health  and  safety  of  Charles  Le  Clair 
so  very  precious  in  the  estimation  of  Mrs.  Walters  ?" 

This  was  spoken  in  such  a  tone  of  voice,  and  with  so 
much  meaning  in  his  countenance,  that,  in  a  moment, 
her  face  and  neck  were  suffused  with  a  crimson  flush. 
This  involuntary  exhibition  was  a  s.-fficieut  and  a  signifi- 


I 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


237 


cant  aiiawcr  to  his  quostioii.  Yot  this  chance  was  lost 
to  linn  by  liis  extreme  diffidence,  and  she  adroitly  turned 
the  subject  by  some  off-hand  remark.  It  so  ha})p(!ned 
that  Mrs.  Walters  was  relieved  of  her  fears  as  ,to  the 
storm,  and  Mr.  Le  Clair  was  enabled  to  carry  out  his 
original  resolve,  as,  contrary  to  their  expectations,  the 
clouds  dispersed,  and  it  proved  a  bright  and  pleasant 
day.  After  his  departure,  she  followed  him  with  her  eyes 
until  intervening  objects  shielded  him  from  her  sight. 

It  will  of  course  be  supposed,  from  the  character  of  our 
narrative,  that  the  attachment  of  Mrs.  Walters  and  Mr. 
Le  Clair  was  strong  as  well  as  mutual  :  and,  indeed,  no 
wonder,  for  each  had  been  captivated  by  the  goodness 
of  the  other's  heart  and  many  sterling  virtues.  The 
longer  they  were  in  each  other's  company,  and  observed 
the  developments  of  each  other's  true  charact(;r,  the 
more  deeply  they  were  enamored  ;  and  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  neither  of  them  was  of  an  age  to  be 
pleased  by  vain  fancies  or  allured  by  trifles.  It  must 
have  been  something  really  genuine,  and  far  above  the 
common  order  of  person  and  of  intellect,  to  exert  such  a 
controlling  influence  on  two  such  minds.  It  may  not 
be  altogether  a  mere  play  upon  words  to  say  that,  in 
reality,  it  was  Mrs.  Walters  who  went  away,  and  Mr. 
Le  Clair  who  remained  at  "  Sweet-brier  Grove  ;"  for 
they  had  so  completely  merged  their  identity,  that  self  in 
each  was  lost  in  contemplating  the  other.  Such  being 
the  case,  it  may  be  supposed  that  but  little  time  would 
be  allowed  to  transpire  before  Mr.  Le  Ciair  would  so 
bend  circumstances  ai3  to  enable  him  to  go  where  such 
strong  attachment  led  the  way  ;  and  Mrs.  Walters  was 
astonished  and  delighted  to  see  Mr.  Le  Clair  return  in 


238 


THE     BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


n. 


])ut  a  few  (layH  after  ho  liad  left  her.  It  mi^'ht  bo  now 
said  that  Mr.  Lc  Chiir  was  the  formal  and  acknowledg-ed 
Kuitor  of  Mrs.  Walters.  A  great  change  had  taken 
{)lace  in  his  spirit  and  manners,  for  he  appeared  inspired 
with  greater  confidence,  though  devoid  of  any  ap})roach 
to  a  vain  presumption.  At  the  first  opportunity  that 
offered,  in  a  calm  and  modest  way  he  informed  Mrs. 
Walters  of  the;  purport  of  his  visit,  and  that  he  had  been 
impelled  to  this  step  by  the  deep  impression  that  her 
virtues  had  made  upon  his  heart.  Mrs.  Walters,  re- 
sponding with  great  dignity,  but  at  the  same  time  with 
much  feeling,  said  she  could  •not  be  insensible  to  the 
high  opinion  of  her  to  which  he  had  been  pleased  to 
give  expression  ;  that  she  held  his  word  and  his  integ- 
rity in  the  highest  estimation  believing  that  he  was  not 
one  to  liglitly  use  words  in  a  sense  he  did  not  intend, 
and  to  which  his  actions  wpuld  not  conform.  Thus, 
then,  this  remarkable  pair  had  at  length  come  to  a  full 
and  intelligent  understanding  with  each  other  as  to 
their  wishes  and  purposes.  But  theirs  was  not  a  love 
that  exhibited  itself  only  in  words  or  unmeaning  out- 
ward manifestations.  In  the  case  of  Mr.  Le  Clair, 
moulded  as  his  nature  and  character  had  l)een,  there 
was  something  startling  in  his  earnestness  when  he  was 
once  fully  aroused  to  action.  But  while  he  was  impelled 
onward  by  the  force,  and  indeed  at  times  fury,  of  that 
part  of  his  nature  derived  from  his  Indian  ancestry, 
this  was  modified  and  elevated  by  the  high-toned  gal- 
lantry which  he  had  inherited  from  the  nationality  of 
his  mother,  hi  making  a  proffer  of  his  hand  to  Mis. 
Walters,  she  was  quite  sure  that  his  whole  being  was 
included,  and  that  his  faith  would  be  as  stable  as  the 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


231 


KawR  of  tho  universe  ;  iiiid  A[r.  Lc  Cluir  hud  no  less  con- 
fidence in  the  faith  of  Mrs.  Walleis. 

These  being  the  feelings,  and  this  the  relative  posi- 
tion of  the  parties,  the  final  result  can  hardly  be  a 
81  *  "t  for  conjecture.  In  the  course  of  some  three 
nu.iiins  after  the  avowal  of  their  attachment,  and  a  little 
more  than  two  years  after  the  death  of  Ca{)tain  Walters, 
this  noble  pair  were  united  in  the  bonds  of  holy  wed- 
lock. From  what  the  reader  has  learned  of  Mr  and 
Mrs.  Le  Clair,  for  we  must  now  give  her  that  de-Jgna- 
tion,  he  will  naturally  infer  that  their  character,  as  it 
has  been  developed,  was  carried  out  in  their  wedded 
life.  And  that  was  the  case  ;  for  their  affections  w«;re 
based  upon  a  mutual  and  just  appreciation  of  their 
matured  judgments  and  cultivated  minds.  And  wliile 
the  endure,  reciprocal  admiration  and  love  must  en- 
dv  Their  love  was  of  natural  growth,  pprung  from 
a  germ  that  had  taken  deep  root  in  tlieir  warm,  sympa- 
thetic hearts,  and  been  favored  by  congenial  influences, 
wliich  now  so  matured  the  appropriate  fruit,  that  it 
promised  to  be  both  abundant  and  perennial  in  its  sup- 
ply. Unlike  the  tender  hot-house  plant,  which  withers 
and  dies  when  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  icy  winds 
that  before  swept  around,  but  could  not  touch  it,  it  ap- 
pears more  beautiful  and  vigorous  from  the  storms  that 
visit  it.  In  this  case  there  was  an  amiable  urbanity,  a 
moral  beauty,  a  vigor  and  vitality,  exhibited  in  all  their 
intercourse  and  relationships  in  life,  that  not  only  en- 
deared them  to  each  other,  but  to  every  one  with  whom 
they  came  in  contact.  And  then,  unlike  the  young  and 
inexperienced  couple,  who,  having  just  left  the  parental 
roof,  are  about  to  encounter  untried  labors,  responsibi- 


240 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


'1 


lities,  and  duties,  they  had  been  severely  schooh.'d  in 
the  great  battle  of  every-day  life,  and  their  mental  and 
moral  resources  were  adequate  to  every  demand  that 
might  be  made  upon  them, 

Mr.  Le  Clair  now  found  that  it  would  prove  more  to 
his  coijvenience,  as  well  as  be  more  in  accordance  with 
his  inclination,  to  break  up  his  establishment  in  Kings- 
ton, and  remove  his  office  to  his  new  home  ;  especially 
as  the  greater  number  of  the  Indian  tribes  over  which 
he  had  superintendence  were  located  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  "  Sweet-brier  Grove."  By  making  this  change 
in  his  residence  and  his  place  of  business,  all  the  re- 
quirements of  those  Indians  might  be  more  promptly 
attended  to.  It  was  soon  found  that  the  Indians  them- 
selves were  pleased  with  this  change,  from  the  facilities 
it  gave  them.  Great  numbers,  also,  now  called  daily  at 
the  office  of  the  "  Chief,"  as  they  styled  Mr.  Le  Clair. 

But  while  this  arrangement  afforded  greater  conve- 
nience, it  had  not  only  greatly  augmented  the  business 
of  Mr.  Le  Clair,  but  had  also  subjected  him  to  number- 
less annoyances.  Every  little  want,  every  frivolous  dis- 
pute, and  all  kinds  of  imaginary  grievances,  were  car- 
ried at  once  to  him.  Though  his  paticmce  was  often 
sorely  tried,  yet  his  firmness,  decision,  discriminatini,^ 
judgment,  and,  above  all,  his  cool  and  even  temper, 
generally  enabled  him  to  succeed  in  satisfying  all 
parties. 

There  was  a  verv  perceptible  change  in  the  home 
establishment  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Le  Clair  ;  although  there 
had  been  no  lack  of  ^Mgilance  and  energy  on  the  part  of 
Mrs.  Le  Clair  prior  to  her  marriage,  for,  considering  her 
antecedents,  she   had   certainly  accomplished  wonders. 


woman's   endukance. 


241 


But  alter  Mr.  Le  Clair  assumed  antliority,  with  his  nat- 
ural energy,  he  broug-jit   his  peculiar  habits  of  system 
to  bear  on  the  out-door  operations  of  the  farm   and  the 
effect  was  almost  magical.     The  attention  of  Mrs    Le 
Clair  was  given  to  her  own  special  department,  and  more 
congennil  sphere. '    Consequently,  all  things  were  done 
to  b(>tter  purpose,  in-doors  as  well  as  out.     Thus,  from 
their  combined  exertions,  they  soon  became  patterns  o^ 
thrift,  and  models  of  general  good  management.     Mr 
Le  Clair  was  not  slow  in  discerning  the  value  of  the 
services  of  our  little  French  friend  Baptiste.     And  Bap- 
tiste  himself  felt  as  proud,  and  appeared  as  dignified  in 
his  deportment,  as  though  he  had  been  a  first  minister 
of  state.     He  was  a  kind  of  generalissimo  over  all  the 
operations,  both  in-doors  and  out,  ever  as  faithful  and 
prompt  in  all  things,  as  if  his  life   depended  on  their 
correct  performance.      Jones   and   Brown   also  becanu^ 
strongly  attached  to  Mr.  Le  Clair  ;  and  docile  in  their 
temper  and  di&position,  were  patient  in  pursuing  all  the 
labors  of  the  farm.     The  women,  too,  while  busy  with 
their  hands,  were  as  glib  with  their  tongues  as  ever. 


242 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


f-; 


CHAPTER    XXII. 


We  must  now  ref(U'  to  an  event  that  will  have  > 
important  bearing",  and  exert  a  controlling-  influence  on 
the  future  of  our  narrative — an  event  that  might  have 
been  expected  under  the  circumstances. 

Mfs.  Le  Clair,  in  the  course  of  time,  found  herself  as 
women  wish  to  be  who  love  their  lords  ;  and  at  length, 
to  the  great  joy  of  every  member  of  the  household,  gave 
birth  to  a  girl-child.  This,  a  stnjng"  bf)nd  of  union,  drew 
still  closer  the  hearts  of  the  parents.  Many  were  they 
who  came  to  offer  their  congratulations.  But  the  more 
numerous  were  the  poor  Indians,  the  untutored  children 
of  tlie  forest,  who  seenjed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  their 
expressions  of  exultant  joy  at  the  birth  of  a  daughter  to 
their  Chief,  They  had  made  preparations  to  celebrate 
the  auspicious  evei.it  in  their  own  way,  and  appointed 
their  own  time.  Tluy  came  on  the  day  designated,  in 
full  Indian  cost  muc,  (i;'termined  to  give  lull  scope  to 
their  f<'elings  in  the  periormance  of  their  characteristic 
sports — the  lestive  (bmce,  f<'at8  of  stnmgth,  wrestling, 
showing  their  fleetness  in  the  foot-race  ;  but,  above  all, 
theii*  favorite  l)all-game.  A  s'irio-comic  turn  was  given 
to  the  sports  by  the  introductioi.'  of  an  old,  shrivelled,  and 
withered  crone,  who  was  led  into  the  chamber  where 
lay  the  mother  and  infant  daugliter.  This  old  woman 
was  accompanied  by  a  number  of  squaws.     She  was 


W  O  Al  A  iSi  8    J.]  .\  JM •  ii  A  N  C  H. 


243 


form.'illy  introduced  to  Mrs.  Lo  Clair  by  tlu'  wives  of 
two  Indian  chiefs.  On  approaciiing-  tiio  coucli,  wliilo 
she  was  going'  through  a  course  of  strange  and  uncouth 
gesticulations,  she  uttered  what  appeared  to  be  a  kind 
of  cabalistic  terms.  She  closely  examined  tise  child, 
peered  into  its  eyes,  looking  for  marks  on  its  forehead, 
and  scrutinizing  each  of  its  hands.  She  then  stood 
musing  for  some  time,  apparently  pondering  the  char- 
acter and  portents  of  the  marks  and  signs  she  had  been 
tracing  on  th(!  person  of  the  infant  befoi-e  her.  At 
length  she  burst  out  into  a  loud  laugh,  trying  to  mimic 
childish  gayety.  Then  she  wept  bitterly,  wringing  her 
hands,  pulling  at  her  hair,  and  going  through  many  other 
gestures,  as  though  she  were  the  subject  of  deep  sorrow. 
With  a  sudden  transition,  she  then  burst  into  loud  and 


long-continued  laughter,  at  the  same  tii 


ar 


•ds  tl 


no  p(jinting  tow- 


le  ri 


snig  sun,  and   /naking  an   attempt  to  walk 


majestically  ;  and,  as  though  she 

adjusting  the  diffenMit  parts  of  her  dress,  shak 

laying  the  folds  in  proper  trim,  all  tin;  time  lookino-  ii.t 


were  grandly  dressed, 

id 


inof  it.  ai 


o 


tlie  lar«2:e   mirror.      All   tl 


lis. 


and 


more,  tiiat   she   wont 


through,    indicated,  according'   to   th 


<^   interj)retation   of 


one  of  the  squaws  present,  that  the  infant  would 


'11  joy 

much  pleasure  in  early  life  ;  but  lat<>r,  (experience  d("(>p 
sorrow  for  a  time  ;  which  would,  however,  unexpectedly 
and  suddenly,  be  turned  into  joy  and  gladness.     Thioindi 


the  whole  of  her  after-life,  she  would  I 


)e  surrounded  with 


pomp  and  splendor,  and  occupy  a  position  of  high  dig 
nity  and  social  respectability.      All  this  would 


o(-!Mii'  in 


a  far-off  eastern   direction.     At   tl 


le  conclusion  of  this 


ceremony,  sev(n-al  of  tlie  young  squaws  stepped  forward, 
and  presented  beautiful  Indian  trinkets  and  ornaments, 


244 


THE     BLACK     rilANTOMj     OR, 


placing  them  on  the  head,  arms,  and  neck  of  the  infant, 
giving  h(3r  a  most  grotesque  appearance.  Tiie  cere- 
mony shocked  the  religious  sensibilities  of  Mrs.  Jones, 
who,  raising  her  hands  in  holy  horror,  and  uttering  short 
I'jaculations  of  bewildered  astonishment,  left  the  room, 
declaiming  against  such  blasphemous  proceedings,  as 
she  termed  them.  But  Mrs.  Brown  enjoyed  the  thing 
vastly,  as  merely  an  innocent  amusement,  gratifying  to 
the  poor  ignorant  Indians.  The  judgment  of  Mrs.  Le 
Clair  vibrated  between  that  of  her  two  women.  She 
was  not  altogether  pleased  with  the  cabalistic  incanta- 
tions of  the  old  crone,  yet  she  had  too  much  prudence 
to  attempt  to  arrest  her  proceedings  ;  for  the  Indians, 
both  male  and  female,  regard  with  veneration  tiie  senior 
female  member  of  their  tribe.  They  place  implicit  faith 
in  her  oracular  character,  being  persuaded  that  she  is 
gifted  by  the  great  Spirit  with  second-sight,  and  the 
interpretation  of  signs.  And  to  have  called  this  in 
question,  might  have  so  raised  their  passions,  as  to 
make  them  irreconcilable  and  vindictive  enemies. 

Among  the  company  crowded  into  the  chamber  of  Mrs. 
Le  Clair,  was  an  old  woman,  in  a  black  cloak,  with  a 
large  black  hood.  This  person  appeared  to  pay  marked 
attention  to  every  object  in  the  room,  as  well  as  to  listen 
attentively  to  every  passing  remark.  But  the  great 
centre  of  her  scrutiny  was  the  mother  and  her  infant, 
for  she  seemed  determined  to  carry  away  with  her  every 
lineament  of  their  features,  deeply  imprinted  on  her  own 
mind. 

In  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which  these  events  oc- 
curred, Mrs.  Brown  and  Mrs.  Jones  were  sitting  work- 
ing at  their  sewing,  with  other  members  of  the  family, 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


245 


The  conversation  very  naturally  turned  upon  the  re- 
markable incidents  of  the  day.  They  dwelt  more  espe- 
cially upon  the  strange  doings  and  sayings  of  the  old 
Indian  fortune-teller,  as  they  called  her.  We  have  al- 
ready alluded  to  Mrs.  Jones,  whose  religious  sentiments 
were  so  shocked  by  what  she  considered  the  blasphe- 
mous utterances  of  the  old  witch.  It  may  be  thought 
that  she  still  felt  the"  abhorrence  she  manifested  when 
they  were  first  uttered.  Not  so  ;  for  after  sitting  some 
time  in  a  musing  mood,  she  at  length  made  the  remark, 
"  Dear  me,  it  would  be  very  strange,  if  all  thtit  the  old 
woman  said  about  baby  was  to  come  to  pass — would  it 
not  ?"  This  remark  proved  a  key-note,  for  incident  after 
incident  was  now  narrated,  in  confirmation  of  a  once 
popular  belief,  that  some  old  people  were  gifted  with 
second-sight,  by  which  they  were  able  to  read  the  d(\s- 
tiny  of  others.  Mrs.  Jones  herself  was  as  positive  as 
any  of  the  company  in  affirming  these  things  :  and  even 
Mrs.  Le  Clair  was  impressed  somewhat  in  the  same 
way  ;  at  least,  she  hoped  that  her  darling  was  born  to 
a  better  state  of  things  than  had  fallen  to  her  lot,  and 
that  the  brightest  visions  depicted  by  the  old  woman 
might  be  more  than  realized  by  her  darling  infant 
daughter.  In  fact,  the  entire  party,  who  were  at  first 
startled  by  the  actions  and  declarations  of  the  ignorant 
old  Indian,  were  now  willing  to  be  persuaded  that  there 
might,  after  all,  be  some  truth  in  what  she  had  prognos- 
ticated. And  we  might  here  ask,  where  is  there  a  mind, 
however  intelligent  or  highly  cultivated,  that  is  entirely 
devoid  of  superstition  and  credulity  ? 

On  the  following  morning,  there  was  a  new  excite- 
nient,  but  of  a  diflerent  character  from  the  one  above 


246 


TllK    BLACK    phantom;     O  li. 


alluded  to.  Far  on  in  the  nioniiiig-,  as  the  women  were 
puttiiip  things  to  rig-hts,  and  clearing  up  the  chamber  of 
Mrs.  Le  (Jlair — and  it  must  he  remembered  that  it  was 
the  same  room  in  which  the  Indian  women  had  assem- 
bled, together  with  the  old  woman  with  the  black  cloak 
and  hood — as  the  little  girl  of  Mrs.  Jones  was  carrying 
a  chair  acnjss  the  room,  there  fell  from  underneath  the 
cushion  a  letter,  which  she  picked  up,  and  handed  to  her 
mother  ;  and  Mrs.  J(mes  seeing  that  the  letter  was  di- 
rected to  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  gave  it  to  her.  The  peace  and 
tranquillity  reigning  in  that  room  prior  to  the  appear- 
ance of  the  letter,  were  now  broken  by  one  who  seemed 
smitten  with  a  sudden  and  heart-rending  sorrow.  The 
two  women  were  confounded,  feeling  their  inability  to 
arrest,  by  any  condolence  they  could  offer,  the  torrent 
of  tears  they  saw  falling  before  them.  They  were 
alarmed  for  the  personal  safety  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  the 
event  happening  at  so  critical  a  stage  of  her  convales- 
cence. In  the  height  of  the  excitement  and  confusion, 
Mr.  Le  Clair  stepped  into  the  room,  whence  he  had  re- 
tired but  a  few  minutes  before,  leaving  his  wife  com- 
posed and  tranquil  :  now,  to  his  astonishment,  he  found 
not  only  his  wife,  but  all  the  family,  affected  by  a  com- 
mon sympathy,  bathed  in  tejirs.  Mr.  Le  Clair,  in  the 
excitement  of  the  moment,  asked  a  series  of  questions, 
before  one  could  be  answered.  Was  his  \vife  in  danger, 
was  the  baby  taken  suddenly  ill,  or  what  other  sad 
calamity  had  befallen  the  family?  The  only  answer  he 
received  was  given  by  his  wife;,  who  simply  pointed  to 
the  yet  unopened  letter,  which  lay  by  her  on  the  bed. 
Mr.  Le  Clair  took  the  letter,  and,  holding  it  up  between 
his  finger  and  thumb,  said — 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


247 


"  Wliy,  my  dcir,  your  alarm  is  all  imag-inary,  for  there 
is  nothing"  here  to  affeet  you  thus." 

"  My  dear  Charles,"  said  his  wife,  "  it  is  the  mystery, 
it  is  the  blaek  phantom,  that  I  have  so  fully  explainml 
to  you  before  !" 

"  Why,"  asked  Mr.  Le  Clair,  "  has  she  been  here  to- 
day with  this  letter  ?" 

"  Oh,  no  1"  said  his  wife  ;  "  yesterday  she  was  among- 
the  crowd.  I  noticed  her  ;  and  now,  I  recollect,  I  had 
strange  emotions  on  seeing  the  black  cloak  and  hood. 
At  the  time,  I  took  her  to  be  some  (me  connected  with 
the  Indians,  and  so  thought  no  more  of  her.  But  when 
the  letter  was  produced,  the  whole  thing  flashed  upon 
my  mind — I  saw  and  felt  that  T  was  still  the  victim  of 
that  mysterious  being — who  is  ever  near  me,  ever  ac- 
tive. My  dear  Charles,  am  I  thus  to  be  followed  to  the 
grave  ;  is  there  no  possibility  of  my  eluding. her,  or  of 
discovering  her  home,  if  she  has  one  on  earth  ?" 

After  musing  for  some  time,  Mr,  Le  Clair  at  length 
said — 

"  Yes,  I  think  there  is  a  possibility  of  fintb'ng  out  who 
she  is,  and  where  she  comes  from.  I  will  put  upon  her 
trail  some  of  my  keenest,  shrewdest  Indian  scouts.  Per- 
haps," he  continued,  "  the  letter  itself  contains  a  solution 
of  the  enigma — let  us  see,"  at  the  same  time  handing  it 
to  his  wife,  saying,  "  It  is  your  letter,  my  dear." 

"  My  dear  Charles,  I  give  you  full  liberty  to  peruse 
it." 

Opening  it,  he  found  it  to  contain,  as  all  the  others 
had,  a  sterling  five  hundred  pound  Bank  of  England 
note,  with  the  Scriptural  quotations  as  b(.'fort!  ;  but  tu 
the  note  was  attached  a  slip  of  paper,  on  which  waa 


248 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR 


^ 


written,  "  To  piircliase  a  now  frock  for  your  littlo  dauj^li- 
t(3r."  For  some  time  Mr.  Le  Clair  sat  pondering  the 
contents  of  the  letter.     lie  at  hni^th  said — 

"  Well,  my  dear,  there  is  really  jj^reat  mystery  in  this, 
and  I  do  not  wonder  at  your  anxiety  of  mind,  when  I 
consider  all  the  circumstances.  But  at  all  events,  who- 
ever and  whatever  she  may  be,  she  appears  to  take  a 
deep  interest  in  your  well-being  ;  and  it  is  my  impres- 
sion that  she  has  some  object  in  view  which  will  ulti- 
mately be  found  of  great  importance.  It  is  my  counsel 
that  you  wait  patiently  for  the  full  development  of 
events.  We  might  reasonably  presume  that  if  she  has 
hitherto  been  able  to  elude  all  your  attempts  to  unmask 
her,  she  will  be  equally  successful  in  the  future.  That 
consideration,  however,  shall  not  deter  me  from  my  pur- 
pose of  discovering,  if  possible,  her  hiding-place.  If 
necessary,  I  will  scour  the  whole  country,  for  I  have  the 
right  agents  for  that  work  at  my  command." 

The  views  of  Mr.  Le  Clair  met  the  approbati(m  of  his 
wife  ;  and  she  well  knew  that  what  her  husband  had 
with  such  emphasis  declared  to  be  his  purpose,  he  would 
execute  with  his  accustomed  energy. 

Mr.  Le  Clair  forthwith  made,  from  among  the  Indians 
within  his  district,  a  selection  of  men  at  once  shrewd 
and  of  tried  courage  and  endurance.  Giving  them  pre- 
cise instructions,  he  allotted  to  each  the  portion  of  coun- 
try he  was  to  investigate,  and  sent  them  forth,  inspired 
with  somewhat  of  his  own  zeal  in  the  cause. 

That  the  reader  may  be  somewhat  informed  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  mysterious  being  who  caused  all  the 
anxiety  and  unhappiness  of  which  the  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Le  Clair  was  now  the  scene,  we  will  introduce  him 


woman's  endurance. 


249 


to  a  party  and  a  place  with  whom  and  wliicli  ho  is  al- 
ready acquainted.  At  a  small  tavern  by  the  roadside, 
on  the  way  to  Kingston,  and  about  half-way  between 
that  town  and  "  Sweet-Brier  Grove,"  the  people  were  all 
hurry  and  activity  on  the  night  in  question  ;  tor  a  hidy- 
traveller,  with  her  man-servant,  had  arrived,  and  was 
to  take  supper,  and  remain  for  tluj  night.  Some  time 
after  the  lady  had  partaken  of  a  sumptuous  repast,  and 
retired  to  the  sitting-room,  her  man-servant  was  sum- 
moned to  her  presence. 

"  Well,  Thomas,"  she  inquired,  "  what  do  you  think  of 
the  home  of  the  late  Captain  Walters,  and  the  present 
home  of  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Le  Clair  ?" 

"  Why,"  said  the  man,  "  I  could  not  have  supposed 
it  possible  that  skill  and  labor  could  have  made  such  a 
wonderful  transformation  in  the  short  space  of  a  little 
more  than  five  years." 

♦'  I  presume,"  said  the  lady,  "  that  the  skill  should 
mostly  be  credited  to  Captain  Walters,  and  the  principal 
part  of  the  labor,  in  carrying  out  the  original  design,  to 
the  present  occupants." 

"  That  may  be  so,"  said  the  man  ;  "  and  if  Captain 
Walters  could  only  see  how  completely  his  plans  and 
purposes  have  been  carried  out,  it  would  afford  him  high 
satisfaction." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  the  lady  ;  "  but  I  see  a  vast  dif- 
ference between  the  late  Captain  Walters  and  Mr.  Le 
Clair  ;  for  the  first,  with  all  his  endowments,  natural 
and  acquired,  was  of  far  too  keen  susceptibilities  for 
the  rough-and-tumble  wrestling  with  the  world.  But  I 
see  that  Mr.  Le  Clair  grai)ples  with  his  opponents- 
men,  and  things,   and  circumstances — witliout  gloves. 


250 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


His  stern  will,  clear  perceptions,  and  sound  judgment, 
are  powerful  aids  in  the  contest.  These  impressiona 
lead  me  to  conclude  that  w(;  must,  in  the  future,  be  more 
cautious  in  all  our  movements  ;  and  I  have  resolved  to 
move  far  away  from  my  pres(mt  residence  to  some;  more 
retired  locality.  But,  Thomas,"  continued  the  lady,  "did 
you  make  the  acquaintance  of  any  of  the  Indians,  nude 
or  female  ?" 

"  Not  much,  my  lady,"  said  the  man  ;  "  but  I  heard 
some  of  the  women  say,  that  one  of  the  old  Indians 
had  prophesied  that  the  little  daughter  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
was  born  to  be  a  great  lady  some  day — somewhere  a 
great  way  off." 

"  Yes,  I  heard  her,"  said  the  lady.  "  It  seems  all  very 
strange.  I  am  not  superstitious,  nor  ready  to  give  heed 
to  old  wives'  tales  or  fables,  but  somehow,  that  old  wo- 
onan's  sayings  and  doings  hare  found  a  weak  spot  in  my 
nature — I  know  not  what  to  make  of  them.  Her  say- 
ings seem  to  give  nerve  and  force  to  my  present  pur- 
pose, for,  if  her  predictions  do  come  to  pass,  it  will  only 
be  the  fulfilment  of  my  present  expectations,  and  the 
realization  of  my  long-cherished  hopes.  But  I  feel  per- 
fectly willing  to  wait,  and  allow  providence  to  work 
out  its  own  purposijs  ;  and  when  I  see  the  result,  I  shall 
be  satisfied,  whatever  it  ni.ay  be. 

"  But  now,  Thomas,"  said  the  lady,  "  we  must  be  away 
early  in  the  morning  ;  our  present  and  future  plans  and 
purposes  admit  of  no  delay  ;  for,  depend  upon  it,  we 
may  expect  untiring  pursuers  on  our  path,  so  that  we 
must  endeavor  to  have  the  advantage  of  a  good  start. 
To  this  end,  we  nuist  put  to  the  test  the  fleetness  of  our 
horses,  as  well  as  our  own  skill  and  prudence. 


TT'CilAN's    ENDURANCE. 


251 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

We  must  now  return  to  tlie  main  object  of  our  narra- 
tive. It  was  soon  found  that  the  little  stranger  proved 
to  be  a  great  centre  of  attraction.  Each  day  brouirjit 
some  new  visitor  to  the  mansion,  with  a  contributioiM)f 
good  wishes  and  admiration  of  the  beauty  of  the  baby  ; 
and  each  was  deligiited  with  the  privilege  of  fondlinj^ 
with  it  on  their  lap,  or  cutting  antics  with  it  around  the 
room.  There  was  considerable  discussion  between  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Le  Clair  as  to  the  name  that  should  be  given 
to  their  young  daughter.  It  was  at  length  decidecrthat 
she  should  be  called  Lillian.  Tiiis  mot  with  universal 
approval  ;  but  she  was  generally  called  by  its  abbre- 
viated synonym,  Lilly. 

Mrs.  Le  Clair  had  now  added  to  all  the  duties  and 
labors  incident  to  a  large  family  and  the  management  of 
a  f\irm-house,  those  of  a  maternal  character  |  and  she 
fully  realized  and  felt  the  weight  and  importance  of  her 
new  responsibilities.  She  began  early  with  the  deter- 
mination, as  far  as  lay  in  her  power,  to  mould  the  mind 
of  her  tender  charge  in  some  cynformity  to  her  own  will. 
She  soon  found,  however,  that  there  were  strong  antag- 
onistic powers,  and  deep-rooted  principles  of  evil  in  the 
very  naturu  of  the  child,  tliat  would  exorcise  to  the 
utmost  her  love,  her  wisdom,  and  her  patience.  She 
found,  too,  that  nature  had  been  lavish  of  her  favors  in 


252 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


the  mouldinf^  of  tlio  person  of  her  dau^liter.  Tin's  was 
often  a  source  of  intense  anxiety  ;  for  people,  unmindful 
of  the  radical  injury  they  were  inflicting;',  would  often 
praise  her  beauty,  at  the  risk  of  pr()niptiM<^  her  pride 
and  inllatin<^  her  vanity.  Thus,  the;  mother  had  a 
double  task,  in  trying  tt)  counteract  the  influence  of  the 
inconsiderate  conduct  of  otlier..,  on  the  mind  of  Lillian, 
and  in  curbing"  those  passions  which,  if  allowed  to 
gather  streng-th,  would  not  oidy  prove  destructive  to  her 
own  peace,  but  be  a  torment  to  all  connected  with  her. 

It  was  an  enlightened  policy  in  the  mother  that  in- 
duced her  to  cultivate  at  once,  in  the  mind  of  her  daugh- 
ter, a  proper  and  wholesome  degree  of  fear,  not  to  loosen 
for  a  moment  or  injure  in  the  least  those  tender  cords 
of  affection,  that  entwine  and  bind  fast  together  the 
hearts  of  a  mother  and  her  child.  But,  at  the  same 
time,  she  let  her  distinctly  understand,  that  passion  was 
a  fault  in  her  nature  that  must  be  curbed  ;  and  that 
disobedience  to  her  word  and  wishes  must  not  go  unre- 
buked.  At  the  same  time,  to  correct  any  waywardness, 
she  lent  all  assistance  possible  to  her  child,  by  leading 
her  by  gentle  admonition,  rather  than  driving  her  by 
boisterous  commands  or  angry  threats.  She  made  it  a 
point,  in  all  her  intercourse  with  Lillian,  never  to  wound 
her  sensibilities,  or  blunt  those  sweet  affections  that 
spontaneously  gush  forth  from  the  young  heart,  in  the 
early  recognition  of  the  mother.  But,  by  every  little 
art  that  a  mother's  love  could  devise,  she  tried  to  keep 
these  in  their  early  freshness  ;  and  threw  out  those  slen- 
der tendrils,  each  slight  indeed,  but  which,  combining 
at  length,  form  a  band  of  love,  that  time,  nor  distance, 
nor  untoward  circumstance  can  sever. 


woman's  endurance. 


253 


Wc  are  not  hen?  fiO'i'J?  to  introduce  any  remarks  as 
t(»  tin;  Mii|)('rlativ<?  beauty  of  this  or  that  baby,  or  that 
tliere  is  only  one  beauty,  and  every  niotlier  has  it  ;  l)ut 
we  do  say,  that  nature  really  did  mak(i  an  extra  eftort 
when  Lillian  was  produced.  And  as  slu;  advanced  in 
aj^e,  and  her  I'urin  became  developed,  each  successive 
month  seemed  to  add  some  new  feature,  and  to  give  a 
high(»r  degree  of  pc'rfection  to  her  entire  being. 

As  we  have  alnnidy  notic(;d  in  the  case  of  Mr,  Le 
Ulair,  that  his  }iersonal  appearance  gave  clear  indica- 
tion of  his  Indian  and  French  origin,  developing  traits 
of  both,  which,  harmoniously  mingling,  resulted  in  a 
high  degree  of  beauty  ;  so  in  the  case  of  Lillian,  she 
gave  clear  proof  that  she  had  a  good  share  of  Indian 
blood  in  her  veins,  while  some  of  her  features  evidenced 
a  derivation  from  the  same  source.  But  all  this  was 
considerably  modified  by  the  moulding  she  had  received 
from  her  English  mother.  As  the  Indian  features  and 
nature  had  been  softened  and  refined  in  Mr.  Le  Clair 
by  his  French  mother,  so  this  process  of  transformation 
had  been  carried  on  in  the  person  of  Lillian,  producing 
one  of  those  brilliant  and  charming  creatures  so  often  to 
be  met  with  in  the  South,  the  result  of  a  mixture  of  races. 
Lillian,  growing  apace,  soon  gave  evidence  that  she 
had  an  imperious  nature.  When  quite  young,  with  an 
i.aHcible  temper,  she  could  assume  a  terril)le  sternness 
of  countenance,  and  a  masculine  rigidity  of  muscle  that 
wa^  18  unyielding  as  her  despotic  will.  At  times;  coer- 
cion was  of  no  avail  ;  and  soft,  aflft^ctionate  words,  had 
no  more  influence  over  her  than  they  would  have  had  on 
the  passing  v  tid.  Often,  when  this  was  the  case,  would 
Mrs.  Le  Clair  clasp  her  child  to  her  bosom,  and  in  an 


254 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


:<! 


agony  exclaim,  "  Oh  I  what  have  I  done  to  bring  such  a 
being  as  this  into  the  world  !"  But  the  mother's  love 
bore  her  up,  and  with  untiring  patience  she  urg'^d  both 
mental  and  moral  influences  ;  and,  as  the  child's  intellect 
expanded,  she  instilUsd  the  sentiments  and  imparted  the 
instruction  suited  to  its  comprehension.  On  this  point, 
however,  the  mother  appeared  to  have  but  little  trouble, 
for  Lillian's  mind,  like  her  person,  proved  to  be  above  the 
common  cast,  with  a  memory  most  ycurately  retentive. 
Thus  the  labor  of  instruction,  while  it  was  a  duty,  be- 
came a  pleasure,  because  the  pupil  was  apt  at  learning 
and  eager  to  advance.  And  then,  this  acquisition  of 
knowledge,  and  the  improvement  of  her  mind,  proved  to 
be  a  powerful  weapon  in  her  own  behalf,  that  she  was 
taught  to  wield  against  her  passions  ;  and  as  her  mind 
became  informed,  and  her  judgment  matured,  she  did 
arrive  at  the  conviction,  that  her  passions  were  her  frail- 
ties, and,  in  part,  her  deadliest  foes. 

Deep  was  her  mother's  commiseration  as  she  saw  evi- 
dences of  the  fierce  strife  that  was  being  carri<^d  on  in 
the  mind  of  Lillian,  between  the  convictions  of  her  bet- 
ter judgment  and  her  deplorable  posslons.  After  an  ac- 
cess of  passion,  wh(Mi  reflecticm  came,  and  the  calmer 
mood  of  her  mind  returned,  the  mother's  love  would 
prompt  those  feelings  that  soothed  and  swayed  the 
softened  heart  of  her  child.  And  at  such  times,  and  un- 
der the  influence  of  such  impressions,  often  would  that 
subdued  girl  bury  her  face  in  her  mother's  lap,  and  w«3ep 
bitter  tears  over  these  sad  exhibitions  of  her  turbulent 
nut  lire. 

Oh,  what  opposites  met  in  that  nature,  that  girl  of 
bright  and  sparkling  genius,  possessing  those  amiable 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


255 


qualities  of  mind  and  disposition,  and  such  surpassing 
beauty  of  person  !  If  any  other  woman  than  Mrs.  Le 
CUiir  had  had  tliis  mysterious  being  under  her  cliarg-e — 
this  incongruous  creature,  this  inexplicabh3  mixture  of 
opposites — the  better  part  of  \un'  nature  woukl  have  been 
irretrievably  overbin'ue  by  her  lower  propensities.  It 
was,  under  God,  the  wisdom  and  patience  of  Mrs.  Le 
Clair,  prompted  by  her  untiring  love,  that  not  only  saved 
Lillian  from  such  a  fate,  but  eventually  sent  her  forth 
as  a  beautiful  example  of  what  a  mother  may  accomplish, 
under  the  most  unpropitious  circumstances,  with  un- 
tractable  and  forbidding  materials. 

It  must,  however,  be  said  in  Lillian's  favor,  that,  not- 
witlistanding  the  extreme  unevenness  of  her  nature,  she 
was  a  general  favorite,  owing  to  her  ingenuousness  and 
the  open  honesty  of  her  heart.  To  guile,  or  deception 
of  any  kind,  she  was  a  perfect  stranger,  and  she  despised 
them  in  otiiers.  But  however  much  she  was  the  favor- 
ite with  oti»ers,  she  was  especially  so  with  the  Indians, 
for  these  simple  children  of  the  forest  seldom  visited  the 
office  of  Mr.  Le  Clair  without  bringing  some  little  token 
of  their  regard  to  Lillian  ;  and  from  this  source  she  had 
accumulated  quite  an  extensive  aud  valuable  assortment 
of  Indian  curiosities.  These  corsisted  of  every  variety 
of  needle-work  in  beads  and  moose-hair,  and  beautiful 
specimens  of  work  with  birch-bark. 

What  seemed  to  be  received  with  the  most  delight, 
and  enjoyed  with  th(^  great(^st  glee,  was  a  beautiful  and 
elaborately  ornamented  bow  with  a  (juiver  full  of  arrows. 
This  present  suite(l  exactly  the  restless  and  rampant 
spirit  of  Lillian,  for  conlinement,  f(M*  any  length  of  time 
at  once,  was  to  her  unendurable.     And  this  bow,  with 


256 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OB, 


the  quiver  slung  over  her  shoulder,  was  her  constant 
companion.  By  continued  practice,  so  proficient  did  she 
become  as  an  archer,  that  but  few  of  the  Indian  boys 
or  girls  could  surpass  her  in  the  exercise  ;  and  many  a 
bird  and  squirrel,  and  other  small  anirnal,  became  vic- 
tims to  her  correct  and  steady  aim.  This,  beyond 
doubt,  was  in  part  owing  to  the  minute  instructions  of 
the  Indian  from  whom  she  received  the  gift,  as  to  the 
proper  position,  the  right  handling  of  the  bow,  and  ad- 
justing of  the  arrow.  It  was  with  this,  as  with  every 
thing  else  to  which  she  turned  her  attention — that  one 
thing  or  subject,  or  whatever  it  might  be,  monopolized 
for  the  time  the  concentrated  force  of  all  the  powers  of 
her  mind. 

Such  was  the  ardor  of  Lillian's  nature,  the  energy  she 
put  forth,  and  the  clearness  of  her  perceptions,  that  the 
tedious  process  of  patient  mental  drudgery  was  unne- 
cessary, for  she  reached  results  by  intuition,  as  it  were. 
Her  mother  had  from  comparative  infancy,  by  a  gradual, 
easy,  and  pleasant  process,  opened  v.p  to  the  mind  of 
her  daughter  the  general  elements  of  knowledge  ;  so 
that  she  could  at  a  very  early  age  read  with  fluency,  and 
understand  clearly  what  she  read.  But  music  seemed 
io  captivate  her  the  most,  for  her  emotional  nature  was 
stirred  through  all  its  depths  when  listening  to  others,  or 
when  her  own  nimble  fingers  were  sweeping  over  the  keys 
of  the  piano  ;  and  for  brilliancy  of  execution  she  bid  fair 
to  rival  even  her  mother.  Her  voice,  too,  while  yet 
uneducated,  gave  promise  of  being  one  of  sur))assing 
power  and  sweetness.  Tliis  proved  a  kind  of  safety- 
valve  for  her  passionate  and  vehement  spirit  ;  for  the 
gushings  forth  of  her  wild  nature  in  song  often  rapt  her 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


257 


own  soul,  while  they  held  those  who  listened  spell-bound 
with  delight. 

It  was  often  a  source  of  unalloj'ed  pleasure  to  Lillian 
to  sit  and  listen  to  the  old  Indian  squaws,  while  they  re- 
lated to  her  the  legendary  tales  of  battles,  victories, 
triumphs,  and  exciting  love-stories  still  current  among 
the  neighboring  tribes.  These,  together  with  memorable 
incidents  and  thrilling  narrations  of  the  adventures  of 
remarkable  individuals,  were  interwoven  with  the  his- 
tory of  some  of  the  tribes  connected  with  her  own  an- 
cestry, and,  depicted  in  their  glowing  and  expressive 
language,  and  adorned  with  the  florid  imageiy  peculiar 
to  these  depositaries  of  Indian  lore,  so  infatuated  Lil- 
lian, and  so  fired  her  imagination,  that  she  gloried  in, 
and  would  often  boast  of  her  descent  from  a  long  line 
of  intrepid  warriors.  Thus,  by  intercourse  witii  the  In- 
dians, both  young  and  old,  she  not  only  became  initiated 
in  all  the  mysteries  of  Indian  h)re,  and  an  adept  in  all 
their  sports,  but  could  converse  with  fluency  iji  their 
language. 

The  restless  and  roving  disposition  of  Lillian  kept 
her  so  constantly  on  the  move,  that  in  walking,  and  in 
exercises  demanding  agility  or  fleetness,  she  would 
weary  the  most  robust  and  active  of  her  playmates. 
She  at  length  found  a  companion  and  playmate  who  was 
her  equal  in  feats  of  agility  and  fleetness,  and  one  that 
she  could  not  so  easily  out-exercise,  and  with  whom  she 
could  romp,  jump,  wrestle,  and  run  to  her  heart's  con- 
tent. This  playmate  was  a  fine,  young  Newfoundland 
dog.  She  soon  succeeded  in  making  Rollo  her  obedient 
servitor,  as  well  as  faitiiful  friend,  whicii  iiad  not  al- 
ways been  the  case  witii  her  former  playmates.     The 


/i 


258 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM:     OR, 


sagaci(jns  and  docile  animal  socnuMl  to  take  a  special 
pride  in  going  throngh  all  tlu;  tricks  and  pranks  that 
Lillian  tanglit  him  ;  and  some  of  these  were  of"  a  mar- 
vellous  kind,  exhibiting  great  intellig(!nce.  One  great 
delight  of  Lillian  was  to  go  to  tin?  shore;  of  the  neigh- 
boring Lake  Ontario,  in  the  waters  of  which,  clad  in 
her  light  bathing-dress,  she  and  RoUo  wonld  enjoy  them- 
selves in  sports,  as  they  had  done  on  the  land  ;  and  it 
was  not  easy  to  decide  which  of  the  two  was  the  better 
swimmer,  Lillian  or  Rollo. 

Lillian  was  again  fortunate  in  discovering  a  pet,  a 
wild  creature,  with  a  disposition  almost  a  match  for  her 
own — a  young  colt,  untamed,  and  apparently  untama- 
ble. This  colt,  of  a  vicious  disposition,  would  permit  no 
one  to  approach  her  without  an  exhibition  of  her  fiery 
spirit.  But,  by  some  n.ysterious  impulse  or  freak,  the 
colt  was  attracted  to  Lillian,  who  was  quite  willing  to 
improve  the  opportunity,,  and  she  did  all  she  could  to 
ingratiate  herself  in  her  favor.  Soon  the  friendshlf)  be- 
came so  strong,  that  neither  was  contented  apart  iVoiu 
the  other  ;  so  that  Lillian,  the  dog  Rollo,  and  the  colt,  to 
which  Lillian  gave  the  name  of  Folly,  were  almost  con- 
stant and  congenial  companions.  But  Lillian  was  the 
controlling  spirit  of  the  trio,  and  it  must  be  admitted 
that  she,  at  times,  was  rather  imperious  in  her  sway. 
But,  notwithstanding  this,  Folly  could  ill  brook  the  first 
attempt  that  Lillian  made  to  put  bitt  in  her  mouth,  or 
saddle  on  her  back.  Folly  seemed  to  look  upon  this 
attempt  to  control  her  freedom  as  a  step  too  far.  The 
brute  soon  found,  however,  that  Lillian  was  master  of 
the  situation,  that  her  will  was  law,  and  that  she  her- 
self, rebellious  as  she  felt,  must  submit.      But  when 


R, 


woman's   endurance. 


250 


ko  a  special 
pranks  that 
0  of  a  mar- 
One  ,uM'e;it 
f  tlie  iieio'h- 
lich,  clad  in 
enjoy  them- 
md  ;  and  it 
•s  the  better 

ng  a  pet,  a 
atch  for  her 
tly  untaina- 
d  permit  no 
yf  her  fiery 
r  freak,  the 
i  willing  to 
le  could  to 
endship  bo- 
apart  from 
the  colt,  to 
almost  coii- 
m  was  the 
e  admitted 
her  sway, 
'k  the  first 
mouth,  or 
upon  this 
far.     The 
master  of 
t  she  her- 
But  when 


Lillinn  carried  lier  authority  so  far  as  to  place  herself 
on  that  saddle,  Polly  could  restrain  herself  no  longer, 
but  breaking  out  into  open  rebellion,  pranced  and  reare<l, 
exhibiting  in  every  way  her  impotent  rage.  If  the  colt 
had  been  tame  and  submissive,  it  would  not  have  be(>n 
in  accordance  with  the  taste  of  Lillian  ;  as  it  was,  she 
Avas  in  her  element,  and  the  more  frantic  the  steed,  tiie 
more  excited  the  rider  became,  until  she  screamed  with 
delight.  The  colt  and  Lillian,  however,  soon  came  to 
an  understanding  with  each  other — one  was  to  rule,  the 
other  to  obey. 

It  was  one  of  the  chief  delights  of  Lillian — accompa- 
nied by  Rollo,  and  mounted  on  Polly,  with  her  how  in 
hand,  and  her  quiver  full  of  arrows  slung  over  her  shoul- 
der— to  exhibit  her  skill  in  archery,  c>r  the  use  of  the 
bow. 

Many  were  the  wild  adventures  and  narrow  escapes 
of  Lillian.  We  will  relate  a  single  instance,  which  will 
siiflice  to  show  her  spirit  and  courage.  Early  one  morn- 
ing, in  the  autumn  that  succeeded  Lillian's  fifteenth 
summer,  she  was  taking  her  accustomed  ride  on  her 
favorite  pony  Polly,  when  she  was  led  by  her  daring 
spirit  to  a  greater  distance  into  the  woods  than  usual. 
When  about  to  return,  by  a  narrow  and  intricate  path, 
she  was  met  by  a  full-grown  black  bear.  The  brute 
seemed  to  be  the  only  one  of  the  party  that  was  at  all 
confused  by  this  unexpected  meeting  ;  for  Lillian,  calm 
and  courageous  as  she  was,  coolly  brougiit  her  bow  to 
position,  and  placing  the  arrow  with  care,  witli  prnm[)t 
aim  and  stnuig  arm  sent  the  missile  with  such  iorce, 
that,  entering  the  eye  and  p(uietrating  the  brain  of  the 
huge  beast,  it  laid  him  sprawling  on  the  ground.     With 


260 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


the  cool  deportment  of  a  veteran  sportsman,  Lillian  sur- 
veyed her  p^ame,  and  finding  it  too  bulky  for  her  to 
remove  single-handed,  she  started  for  liome,  to  relate 
her  encounter  and  its  successful  result.  A  party  was 
promptly  dispatched  to  bring-  home  the  valuable  prize, 
the  fruit  of  Lillian's  skill  and  courage.  It  would  be 
useless  here  to  speculate  on  the  danger  Lillian  would 
have  been  placed  in,  had  the  wound  inflicted  on  the  bear 
not  proved  fatal.  All  wonder  at  Lillian's  success  as  an 
archer  will  subside,  when  it  is  understood  that  she  had 
been  under  the  tuition  of  an  Indian  the  most  skilful  of 
his  tribe  in  the  use  of  the  bow. 


"> 


woman's  endurance. 


261 


Lillian  sur- 
for  her  to 
e,  to  relate 
.  party  was 
lable  prize, 
t  would  be 
illiun  would 
on  the  bear 
ccess  as  an 
at  she  had 
5t  skilful  of 


b 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

During  al!  the  early  days  and  years  of  Lillian's  life, 
every  faculty  of  her  mother,  physical  and  mental,  had 
been  deeply  and  incessantly  exercised  in  her  behalf; 
and  now,  as  she  advanced  in  years,  the  mother's  solici- 
tude became  still  more  intense,  for  she  saw  that  a  bein^ 
of  such  fine  personal  attractions  must  be  exposed  to 
great  perils.  But  her  fears  were  calmed  and  her  mis- 
givings silenced  by  the  reflection,  that  although  the  per- 
sonal beauty  of  Lillian  was  so  admiringly  recognized  by 
every  one  else,  yet  she  herself  seemed  utterly  uncon- 
scious of  its  possession.  And  then,  the  purity  of  her 
mind  was  evinced  by  a  frankness  and  artless  simplicity 
of  manners,  that  irresistibly  commanded  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all  who  made  her  acquaintance. 

In  all  the  intercourse  of  Lillian  with  the  youth  of  the 
neighborhood,  as  she  felt,  so  she  ever  exhibited  her 
superiority,  and  they  were  quite  willing  to  yield  her 
proper  homage.  From  her  nature,  it  was  not  possible 
she  should  treat  them  otherwise.  Yet  her  conduct  was 
devoid  of  all  arrogant,  supercilious  assumption.  She 
owed  this,  in  part,  to  the  wise  tuition  of  her  mother,  but 
more,  perhaps,  to  the  nobleness  of  her  own  mind,  and 
the  dignity  of  her  nature. 

Lillian  was  now  approaching  a  critical  period  of  her 
life,  when,  according  to  the  decision  she  should  make, 
she  would  direct  her   bark  for  sunny  seas  or  stormy 


i; 


^nmmm 


262 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


g-iilfs — for  weal  or  woe.  Ilc.'r  heart  as  yet  was  callow, 
fresh,  mirthful,  and  girlish.  Wild  slie  was,  and  playfnl 
as  the  young"  fawn.  It  might  be  said  that  love,  with  her, 
was  out  of  the  question,  as,  among  the  rustics  of  the 
neighborhood,  there  was  no  youth  who  durst  aspin;  to 
her  hand.  But  she  was  happy,  for  she  was  approached 
by  no  evil,  guarded  as  she  ever  was  by  her  parents' 
vigilant  care.  And  she  was  supremely  hap|)y  in  the 
sweet  assurance  of  her  consciousness  that  she  was  the 
centre  of  attraction  to  their  loving  hearts. 

Tliis  little  circle  of  father,  mother,  and  daughter, 
was  now  the  centre  of  admirinor  observation  to  tiunr 
own  domestics,  as  well  as  to  their  neighbors  for  a  wide 
circuit.  Every  thing,  both  within  doors  and  on  tlieir 
now  large  and  well-cultivated  farm,  bore  the  marks  of 
high  prosp(;rity.  Provichmce  seemed  to  smile  upon  them. 
and  the  minds  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Le  Clair  were  at  ease 
witli  regard  alike  to  the  present  and  to  the  future.  But 
they  did  not,  like  too  many  under  similar  circumstances, 
arrogate  to  themselves  the  praise  for  the  acquisition  of 
so  many  blessings.  They  knew  who  it  was  that  thus 
caused  their  cup  to  run  over,  blessing  th(»m  in  basket 
and  in  store. 

It  has  doubtless  been  observed,  from  our  narrative 
thus  far,  that  Mr.  Le  Clair  was  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  vigor  of  body  and  mind.  His  official  position 
would  naturally  enlarge  his  capacity,  and  bring  his 
talents  to  a  state  of  high  proficiency.  And  this  was 
the  case  ;  yet  his  talents  were  often  put  to  a  severe 
test  by  the  difficult  questions  he  was  called  upon  to 
solve,  in  connection  with  the  fierce  passions  and  bit- 
terly vengeful   spirits  he  had  to  contend  against.     lie 


woman's  endurance. 


2<)3 


was  far  more  successful  than  some  of  his  best  friends 
had  anticipated  ;  but,  having  employed  the  right  means 
to  secure  it,  they  said  that  he  deserved  success,  ^fr.  Le 
Clair  found  less  difficulty  in  fashioning  the  general  fea- 
tur(!S  of  his  farm  to  his  taste  and  purposes,  than  in 
keeping  under  proper  restraint  the  passionate  and  ob 
durate  natures  of  the  Indians  under  his  charge.  A  case 
Koon  arose  that  defied  his  skill  and  tact,  and  which  he 
failed  amicably  to  adjust  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  parties 
interested.  Two  of  the  most  turbulent  beings  among  all 
the  tribes  within  his  jurisdiction  had  had  a  serious  dis- 
agreement  about, the  division  of  the  spoils  of  a  hunting 
excursion.  After  long  wrangling  between  themselves 
without  arriving  at  any  result,  they  agreed  to  n^fer  tlio 
subject  in  dispute  to  the  decision  of  their  Chief.  Wiicn 
the  case  was  brought  up  for  his  adjudication,  Mr.  Le 
Clair,  fearing  the  worst  effects,  whichever  way  it  might 
terminate,  formed  the  resolution,  let  the  consequences 
be  what  they  might,  to  judge  between  the  two  litigants 
accordi'  g  to  the  principles  of  strict  justice.  After  ii<ar- 
ing  both  sides  of  the  case,  he  found,  as  he  had  antici- 
pated, that  the  Indian  who  had  the  weakest  side  of  the 
plea  was  in  almost  continual  altercation  with  nearly 
every  member  of  his  tribe,  and  was  at  once  hated  and 
feared  by  them  all  ;  and  that,  consequently,  the  case 
must  be  decided  against  him. 

Air.  Le  Clair  gave  his  view  of  the  case  in  a  frank  and 
clear  statement,  and  awarded  the  disputed  points  so  as 
to  satisfy  every  member  of  the  tribe  except  the  irritable 
savage  who  had  lost  his  suit.  This  fellow  left  the  com- 
pany and  the  presence  of  Mr.  Le  Clair  with  a  ferocious 
look,  muttering  threats  of  vengeance  against  some  one. 


n 


264 


THE    BLACK    rilANTOM;    OR, 


Tli<!  t\\m<j!;  paHsod  over  for  the  time  beinpc,  and  littlt;  was 
Haid  or  thoug-ht  on  tlie  subject.  However,  deep,  black 
reveng'e  was  rankling-  in  the  bad  heart  of  the  de;,p(!rate 
Indian.  Within  a  month  after  the  decision  in  the  above 
case,  Mr.  T^  Clair  was  found  lying  dead  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  his  own  house,  with  his  heart  pierced  by  an 
Indian  arrow. 

The  news  of  this  dark  deed  flew  in  every  direction, 
causinj^  consternation  and  the  deepest  indig-nation  wher- 
ever it  came.  So  g-eneral  and  overwlujlining  was  the 
soriow,  that  every  private  interest  was  lost  si<i:ht  of,  and 
tears  flowed  freely, — a  deserved  tribute  to  the  memory 
of  the  lamented  dead.  But,  as  may  be  supposed,  no- 
where did  this  calamity  press  so  heavily  as  in  his  own 
liome,  on  the  hearts  of  his  own  sorrow-stricken  loved 
ones.  Mrs.  Le  Clair  received  the  fatal  news  with 
blank  paralyzing-  dismay.  No  tears  would  come  to  her 
relief.  Oh  !  that  silent  agony  of  the  soul  1  Then^  was 
little  outward  manifestation  of  her  feelings,  scarcely  a 
ripple  on  the  surface  ;  it  was  all  deep  down  in  those 
dei)ths  wliere  the  inward  nature  is  wrung  with  unutter- 
able torture — evidenced  by  the  unstrung  and  nerveless 
frame,  the  blanched  countenance,  the  iixoA  and  glassy 
eye,  the  bloodless  and  wordless  lips.  Her  recognition 
of  person  and  place  seemed  lost ;  her  whole  being  waa 
stunned  and  blasted,  as  if  the  withering  hand  of  fate 
had  struck  her  down.  That  wise,  that  good,  that  vir- 
tuous woman,  who  from  early  youth  had  obeyed  the 
dictates  of  an  enlightened  conscience,  and  followed  the 
leadings  of  a  higher  intelligence — on  her  had  fallen  a 
train  of  evils  beyond  her  own  power  to  remove,  without 
fault  on  her  part,  either  in  thf»ir  origin  or  consummation. 


little;  was 
!(>p,  bhick 
ck'.porate 
lie  above 
short  (lis- 
ted by  an 

direction, 
ion  wher- 
"\vaa  the 
ht  of,  and 
3  HKunory 
losed,  no- 
bis own 
[cn  loved 
?ws  vvitli 
me  to  lier 
'her(!  was 
scarcely  a 
in  those 
1  n  nutter- 
nerveless 
id  g-lassy 
?cof^iiition 
)eing  waa 
id  of  fate 
that  vir- 
)eyed  the 
lowed  the 
i  fallen  a 
;,  without 
immation. 


woman's    ENDURA.<iCE. 


2G5 


Why  is  it,  0  Heaven  I  that  the  p^ood,  the  noble  in  heart 
and  soul,  are  made  to  pass  throuj^fh  the  fire,  and  wade 
through  such  deep  waters  ? 

But,  how  was  it  with  Lillian  ?  The  contrast  was 
great  between  Mrs.  Le  Clair  and  her  daughter.  The 
one,  bowed  down  and  thoroughly  brokb.i  in  spirit,  was 
the  personification  of  deep,  silent  sorrow.  The  other 
was  terrible  as  the  roused  tigress.  She  wished  to  hunt 
down  the  murderer  of  her  father.  If  she  could  only 
catch  him,  she  would  tear  him  to  pieces — she  would  tor- 
ture and  slay  him.  Nothing  could  allay  her  maniac 
fury  and  soothe  that  terribly  excited  being,  until  the  fires 
raging  in  her  breast  burned  themselves  out.  Even  then, 
her  entire  frame  shook  and  heaved  with  convulsive 
tln-oes,  long  after  the  first  paroxysms  of  her  wrath  had 
subsided — like  tlie  dead  swell  of  the  ocean,  after  havinir 
been  lashed  to  fury  by  the  storm. 

How  changed  was  that  so  lately  quiet  -•'nd  happy 
home  !  Every  member  of  that  family  circle  was  pros- 
trated by  the  fatal  blow.  They  mourned  the  loss  of  (me 
whose  place  could  not  be  supplied. 

After  a  searching  investigation  of  the  cause  and  man- 
ner of  the  death  of  Mr.  Le  Clair,  but  one  conclusion  could 
be  arrived  at  ;  and  that  was,  that  he  had  been  murdered 
by  the  dark-minded  villain  against  whom,  in  the  litiga- 
tion of  his  suit,  Mr.  Le  Clair  had  so  righteously  deci(l(!d. 
The  next  point  to  be  considered  was,  how  to  arrest  the 
guilty  fugitive.  He  was  known  to  be  daring,  cunning, 
and  unscrupulous,  and  no  one  would  dare  to  attack  hi  in 
openly.  As  to  stratagem,  he  was  a  matcii  for  the  whoh.' 
tribe.  It  was  concluded  by  the  neighboring  tribes  that 
they  would  hunt  him  down  like  a  wild  beast. 

12 


/I 


200 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


Tliouu^h  tlms  imitful  in  purpose  and  prompt  in  action, 
llicy  soon  found  tliuir  dcsiji^'n  not  easy  of  acconipiiHli- 
rnunt  ;  for,  after  tlie  perpetration  of  the  foul  deed,  the 
fiend  had  ntarted  off  in  a  direct  nortliern  line.  It  was 
not  possible  to  find  iiis  trail,  as  he  had  h.'ft  no  footprints 
or  any  other  indications  that  marked  his  line  of  projj^ress 
throujj^h  the  dense  and  tang-led  forest.  Weeks  and 
months  passed,  but  without  any  trace  or  tidings  of  the 
outlawetl  vacjabond.  At  leni^th  a  party  of  his  tribe,  far 
away  in  the  North  on  a  huntinj^  excursion,  had  their  at- 
tention attracted  f)y  the  trunk  of  a  large  oak-tree  which 
had  been  riven  and  prostrated  by  a  stroke  of  lightning-. 
The  party  approached  the  spot  to  examine  the  thing* 
more  closely,  and  found,  to  their  utter  astonishment, 
close  to  the  shattenfd  and  blasted  tree,  the  entire  l)ar(! 
and  bleached  bones  of  what,  on  examin.ation,  proved  to 
be  the  remains  of  an  Indian.  Their  suspicions  were  at 
once  excit<'d  that  these  bones  might  prove  to  be  tiie  rcv 
mains  of  the  man  who  Inid'  murdered  Mr.  Le  Clair.  A 
bow  and  arrows,  and  a  number  of  Indian  ornaments 
and  other  articles,  found  at  the  spot,  confirmed  them  in 
the  correctness  of  their  conjecture.  Another  proof  this, 
that  though  the  guilty  one  may  escape  punisinnent  by  his 
fellow-man,  he  is  sure  at  lengta  to  meet  the  vengeance 
of  Heaven.  It  was  generally  supposed  that  the  wretch 
had  taken  shelter  under  the  spreading  branches  of  the 
tree,  to  screen  himself  from  a  passing  storm,  and  that, 
being  attacked  and  devoured  by  wolves,  his  shelter 
proved  his  ruin. 

But,  to  return  to  the  home  of  the  late  Mr.  Le  Clan-. 
Fearful  indeed  to  his  family  were  the  result's  of  their 
sudden   bereavement.      Beforw   this    calamity,   Mrs.   Le 


woman's  endurance. 


2f57 


n  action, 

^oinplirtii- 

(Iced,  tin; 

It  wiirt 

footprinl^ 
pro<2:iH'SS 

L'cks    and 
^a  of  tlic 
tribe,  far 
[1  their  at- 
:ree  wliich 
lightninj^. 
the  thing- 
Diiishmcnt, 
iiitire  har(! 
provinl  to 
ns  were  at 
)  be  the  re- 
Clair.     A 
)rnament8 
led  theui  in 
proof  this, 
iient  by  his 
vengeance 
the  wretch 
ches  of  the 
11,  and  that, 
his   shelter 

r.  Le  Clair, 
lifs  of  their 
,y,  Mrs.   Lc 


Clair  had  known  wliat  it  was  to  (Midurc  the  loss  of  a 
fond  hnsband  in  tin;  death  of  Captiiin  Walters.  But 
that  affliction  can»e  upon  her  by  slow  degrees,  so  that 
slie  had  tinu*  and  opportunity  afforded  her  to  nerve  her- 
self, and  to  brace  her  mind  to  meet  it.  But  in  this  case, 
80  sudden  was  the  shock,  that  it  gave  her  mind  no 
chance  to  rally  its  forces  ;  and  her  native  energy,  which 
had  so  often  carried  her  triumphantly  through  other 
trying  scenes,  was  now  paralyzed  and  impotent.  Both 
mother  and  daughter  seemed  at  times  as  if  brought  to 
the  very  verge  of  lile.  But  their  vigorous  constitutions, 
with  tender  care,  carried  them  througii,  and  they  were 
soon  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  wonted  health.  Yet,  a 
chill  had  {)assed  over  their  spirits  that  seemed  to  have 
new-moulded  their  natures,  and  to  hav(^  given  a  subdued 
tone  to  their  whole  being.  Mrs.  Le  Clair  was  most  cer- 
tainly a  sadder  woujan.  She  sometimfc-s  thought,  she 
would  say,  that  she  was  a  centre  where  the  ills  of  life 
C(mverged,  directing  their  barbed  shafts  at  her  very 
soul.  In  spite  of  her  eft'orts  to  fortify  her  mind  with  the 
higher  sentiments  of  divine  truth,  these  thoughts  would 
too  often  intrude.  But  tiiis  sad  event  had  accomplished 
for  Lillian  what  other  occurrences  in  her  past  life  wero 
Dowerless  to  effect,  for  she  came  out  of  this  fiery  ordeal  a 
sedate  and  thoughtful  woman.  Prior  to  this,  no  sorrow 
had  ever  touched  her  heart ;  but  now  her  nature  was 
soft(med,  her  spirit  humbled,  and  her  slumbering  sym- 
pathies for  her  mother  fully  aroused.  The  memories  of 
her  father  were  n(,w  clustering  around  iier  heart,  afford- 
ing inexhaustible  and  elevating  subjects  for  reflection. 
She  now  saw  his  virtues,  which  she  had  not  appreciated 
in  the  living  parent,  stand  out  in  bold  and  striking  promi- 


268 


THE     BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


ncnce.  And  those  sympathies  and  memories  prove(i,  as 
it  were,  a  balhast,  to  steady  her  hitherto  wild  and  erratic 
nature.  She  had  grown  wis(ir  at  a  fearful  expense,  but 
the  lessons  she  had  learned,  cvnd  the  discipline  she  had 
been  subjected  to,  mig'ht  yet  be  of  priceless  value  to 
her.  To  employ  language  that  will  fully  meet  her  case, 
we  would  say  that  she  was  decidedly  more  domestic  in 
all  her  habits. 

Lillian  had,  by  nature,  a  strong  and  vigorous  intellect, 
and  her  mind  had  been  highly  cultivated  by  both  father 
and  mother.  Her  imagination  had  been  excited  and 
fed  by  listening  to  the  old  Indian  squaws,  who  related 
the  glowing  legendary  tales  current  among  their  tribes  ; 
and  her  fancy  was  of  the  liveliest  type.  As  she  had 
become  of  late  more  reflective,  she  would  often  sit  bv 
herself  in  silence,  as  though  musing  on  some  dee|)ly 
absorbing  subject.  Then  again,  she  would  warble  some 
plaintive  tune,  as  though  actuated  by  a  superhuman 
agency.  Indeed,  she  seemed  inspired  by  the  very  spirit 
of  song,  for  she  would  often  breathe  fortli  her  very  soul 
in  entrancing  melody. 

One  day,  when  Lillian  was  bordering  on  the  age  of 
seventeen,  she  had  wandered  away  some  distance  from 
the  house,  near  to  the  neighboring  woods,  and  within 
sight  of  the  banks  of  Lake  Ontario.  Sitting  down  on 
the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree,  while  the  luxuriant  foliage  of 
a  large  maple  formed  a  canopy  that  shielded  her  from 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  she  was  soon  lost,  in  this  seclusion, 
in  one  of  her  dreamy  fits,  her  eye  wandering  over  the 
expanse  of  water  before  her.  She  plu(^ked  a  beautiful 
wild-rose  from  its  stem,  and,  in  a  state  of  mental  abstrac- 
tion, separated  the  rose  leaf  by  leaf,  laying  the  leaves 


woman's  endurance. 


260 


oved,  as 
1  erratic 
>n8(;,  but 
she  had 
value  to 
her  case, 
nestic  in 

intellect, 
ith  father 
•ited  and 
o  related 
ir  tribes  ; 
i  she  had 
en  sit  by 
ne  deeply 
rble  some 
perhuman 
ery  spirit 
very  soul 

he  ag-e  of 
;anee  from 
,nd  within 
down  on 
foliasje  of 
her  from 
seclusion, 
r  over  the 
,  beautiful 
al  abstrac- 
the  leaves 


on  her  lap.  She  would  now  and  again  raise  her  eyes, 
survey  the  lake  and  the  woods,  and  then  look  tow- 
ards the  house,  her  home.  A  deep  sigh  would  now  and 
then  escape  her,  when  she  would  pluck  another  rose, 
then  another,  and  still  another,  until  on  her  lap,  and  all 
around  her,  lay  the  wreck  of  many  roses.  At  leng;th, 
as  though  she  had  been  seized  with  somewhat  of  her  old 
wild  spirit,  she  struck  up  one  of  her  favorite  love-ditties. 
At  once,  she  seemed  to  be  completely  beside  herself ; 
her  soul  seemed  rapt,  and  her  spirit  ready  to  take  wing 
and  fly  away.  The  very  wootls,  too,  seemed  inspired, 
for  echo  answered  to  echo,  with  such  varied  cadence, 
that  it  was  as  if  a  company  of  minstrels  were  chanting 
praises  in  unearthly  strains.  When  she  had  finished 
the  song,  she  again  relapsed  into  silence  and  musing 
as  before.  But  hark  1  what  is  tiiat  she  hears  ?  It  was 
surely  the  same  tune  that  she  herself  had  just  been  war- 
bling. Was  it  the  Great  Spirit  of  whom  the  old  squaw 
had  so  often  spoken,  who  v/as  thus  answering  lier  from 
his  dwelling-place  ?  If  not,  what  could  it  be,  she  had 
never  heard  any  thing  like  it  before  ?  Her  mind,  im- 
pressed with  a  kind  of  a.v-  .  v-ras  agitated,  and  in  this 
state  she  started  for  her  home.  It  was  more  of  a  reli- 
gious feeling  with  which  she  was  impressed  than  alarm, 
for  she  was  not  so  easily  frightened  ;  but  this  was  so 
very  strange  !  When  she  arrived  at  home,  she  tri(!(l  in 
the  best  way  she  could  to  explain  to  her  mother  this 
strange  and  wonderful  music  ;  but  it  was  utterly  unex- 
plainable,  it  was  so  unearthly — it  must  be  the  Great 
Spirit.  Her  mother  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Lillian, 
falling  asleep  in  one  of  lier  musing  fits,  had  been  dream- 
ing, and  awaking  from  her  dream,  had  started  home 


270 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


in  a  frig-ht.  Lillian's  protestations  to  the  contrary  did 
not  chan<>:e  the  mind  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  who  still  believed 
her  dang-hter  must  in  some  way  bo  mistaken.  Thon^-h 
fully  satisfied,  Lillian  determined  on  investigating  the 
matter  further,  and  for  this  purpose  visited  the  same 
place  on  the  following  afternoon.  Arriving  there,  she 
cha,nted  one  of  her  sweetest  songs,  which  she  had  no 
sooner  concluded,  than  she  heard  the  same  strain  re- 
peated, but  with  a  soft,  flowing  sweetness  to  which  her 
ear  was  a  stranger.  She  now  became  fully  enlightened 
as  to  the  nature  and  source  of  the  sweet  strains  with 
which  she  had  been  so  enraptured — some  person,  hear- 
ing her  sing,  had  responded  by  repeating  the  same  tune 
on  the  flute.  Her  curiosity  was  so  far  excited,  that 
she  wished  for  a  more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  per- 
former who  could  produce  such  dulcet  melody  from  his 
instrument.  Her  wish  was  sooner  gratified  than  she 
had  anticipated.  On  turning  her  attention  and  direct- 
ing her  steps  towards  a  narrow  path  that  led  through 
a  dense  undergrowth  of  brush  into  the  woods,  a  man 
emerged  from  this  path,  and  fully  confronted  her.  He 
was  dressed  in  the  prim  uniff)rm  of  a  sergeant  of  the 
English  army.  They  were  both  greatly  confused,  stand- 
ing silently  contemplating  each  other,  as  if,  for  the  mo- 
ment, they  had  lost  all  power  of  utterance.  At  length, 
the  sergeant,  raising  his  cap  in  a  very  graceful  manner, 
said— «- 

"  Excuse  me.  Miss  ;  I  hope  I  am  not  rudely  intruding 
myself  on  youi'  privacy  V 

Lillian,  greatly  embarrassed,  and  with  face  suffused 
with  blushes,  replied — 

"  1  liave  been  too  venturesome,  I  fear,  in  coming  thus 


woman's  endurance, 


271 


trary  did 
[  believed 

Thon^-h 
ating  the 
the  same 
there,  she 
e  had  no 
strain  re- 
v^hich  lier 
lightened 
airis  with 
ijon,  hear- 
lame  tune 
ited,  that 

the  per- 
from  his 
than  she 
nd  direct- 
l  through 
is,  a  man 
her.  He 
int  of  the 
ed,  stand- 
)r  the  mo- 
\.t  length, 
I  manner, 


intruding 


suffused 


ning  thus 


far  alone  ;   but  I  was  attracted  by  music  executed  by 
some  person  playing  on  the  flute." 

"Yes,"  said  the  sergeant,  holding  out  a  beautiful 
silver-mounted  flute,  with  a  number  of  silver  keys  at- 
tached, "it  was  I  who  was  playing,  in  response  to  some 
delightful  vocal  strains  that  reached  my  ear  from  tin's 
direction.  I  heard  a  melody  that  used  to  be  a  favorit<' 
one  of  my  mother's— one  with  which  she  used  to  delight 
me  when  a  boy.  You  may  be  sure  that,  as  I  listeiu'd, 
my  mind  was  stirred  with  sweet  memories  of  other  davs 
and  places,  and  of  loved  ones  I  may  never  see  again. 
If  I  have  grown  too  stern  for  tears,  believe  me,  A[iss, 
that  I  find  my  heart  still  in  possession  of  all  its  native 
tenderness." 

As  hp  uttered  these  words,  gazing  upon  the  lovely 
girl  be!'(  re  him,  his  soul  seemed  speaking  from  every 
feature  ;  so  that  it  was  not  so  much  the  words  as  the 
impressive  manner  of  their  delivery  that  gave  a  still 
deeper  tinge  to  the  blushes  on  the  face  of  Lillian.  He 
had  excited  her  sympathy,  and  with  much  feeling  she 
asked — 

"  Have  you  a  mother  ?" 

"  I  had,"  was  the  laconic  reply. 

"  Have  you  a  father,  then  ?"  asked  Lillian,  with  much 
simplicity  and  assured  confidence. 

"  I  had  one,"  was  again  the  reply  of  the  sergeant. 

At  this  stage  of  the  interview  Lillian  began  to  show 
signs  of  restlessness,  ;i,nd,  looking  in  the  direction  of  her 
home,  said,  witli  much  feelino' — 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,  I  must  be  going  ;  my  mother  will 
l)e  expecting  me,  and  will  consider  me  as  tarrying  too 
long  ;"  at  the  same  time,  with  a  gentle  movement  of 


272 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


l»or  hand  and  an  inclination  of  her  lioad,  in  her  tender 
musical  tones  taking  leave  of  hiin  with,  "  Good-day,  sir," 
she  turned  to  go  towards  her  home.  The  sergeant,  re- 
spectfully raising  his  cap,  and  with  much  gallantry 
thrown  into  a  graceful  bow,  bade  her  adieu.  But  the 
sergeant  found  it  not  easy  to  leave  the  spot,  for  he  stood 
there,  looking  after  Lillian,  admiring  the  dignity  and 
grace  of  her  movement  as  she  receded  from  him.  The 
words  escaped  his  lips,  "  Wliat  a  beautiful  girl  !  what  a 
brilliant  creature  !"  We  would  inform  the  ri'ader  that 
Sergeant  George  Hargreaves  belonged  to  a  r(;giment 
then  stationed  in  Canada,  and  the  company  of  this  regi- 
ment to  which  he  was  attached  was  then  on  detached 
duty  close  by  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  They  had 
been  placed  there,  only  a  few  days  before  the  above  in- 
terview took  place,  in  consequence  of  some  apprehended 
difficulty  with  one  of  the  tribes  of  Indians  and  some  of 
the  farmers  on  the  outskirts  of  the  white  settlements. 

As  Lillian  wended  her  way  homeward,  she  found  that 
she  carried  with  her  a  new  image  imprinted  on  her  heart. 
When  she  arrived  at  homo,  she  informed  her  mother 
that  she  had  found  out  all  about  the  music  she  had  heard 
iu  the  woods — that  it  was  a  person  playing  on  a  flute  ; 
but  she  said  as  little  as  possible  about  the  performer 
him.self.  However,  if  she  said  little,  she  ihought  much, 
and  felt  still  more  ;  for  Cupid  had  shot  his  arrows,  and 
they  had  entered  her  heart.  Previous  to  the  above  in- 
terview, Lillian  had  had  little  if  any  intercourse  with 
people  of  the  outsnie  world.  Her  acqu.'iintance  had  been 
confined  to  the  sonc  and  daughters  of  the  neighboring 
farmers,  and  to  the  Indians  who  visited  her  father's 
office  on  affairs  connected  with  their  own  personal  inter- 


WOMAN'S    ENDURANCE. 


273 


tender 
ly,  sir," 
ant,  rc- 
illantry 
But  tlie 
le  stood 
ty  and 
1.     The 

what  a 
ler  that 
jgiment 
lis  regi- 
etached 
hey  liad 
bove  in- 
jhended 
some  of 
ents. 
md  that 
;r  heart. 

mother 
id  heard 
a  flute  ; 
irformer 
it  much, 
•vvs,  and 
bove  in- 
rse  with 
lad  been 
;liboring 

father's 
lal  inter- 


ests, or  those  of  their  diflerent  tribes  ;  so  that,  when 
she  first  saw  Sergeant  Hargreaves,  with  his  handsome, 
manly  form  and  features,  his  neat-fitting  di'ess,  his  su- 
I)erior  action,  and  his  dashing  manner,  she  at  once  con- 
cluded that  he  must,  of  courso',  be  of  high  rank  in  the 
army,  and  that  he  must  be  good,  as  he  spoke  so  tenderly 
of  his  mother.  With  this  general  outline,  her  imagina- 
tion was  not  slow  in  filling  up  a  picture  suited  to  her 
fancy,  and  this  picture  was  engraven  in  deep  and  in- 
effaceable characters  on  her  soul.  It  was  the  same  with 
Hargreaves  in  regard  to  Lillian  :  although  he  had  trav- 
elled and  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  his  heart  had 
been  thus  far  impervious  to  the  charms  of  the  fairer 
sex,  yet  now,  when  he  saw  Lillian,  it  yielded  like  the 
delicate  rose  to  the  influence  of  the  genial  shower  and 
the  life-awakening  rays  of  the  sun.  The  appearance 
and  manners  of  Lillian  had  carried  his  heart  captive  ;  but 
there  was  a  doubt  whether  she  could  ever  be  his.  He  was 
but  a  sergx^ant ;  and  if  she  belonged  to  an  aristocratic 
family,  might  not  his  profession  and  inferior  position 
prove  insuperable  obstacles  to  his  suit  ?  At  all  events, 
on  the  morrow  he  would  call  at  their  residence.  Sleep 
made  but  fitful  visits  to  the  eyes  of  Hargreaves  during 
the  intervening  night — his  thoughts  were  with  Lillian, 
fluttering  in  ecstasy  around  her,  admiringly  contem- 
plating her  fine  form,  her  lofty  mien,  the  sparkling 
splendor  of  her  eyes,  every  feature  of  her  noble  counte- 
nance. 

Hargreaves  paid  the  purposed  visit  on  the  following 
morning,  with  a  trembling  heart  and  many  misgivings. 
He  did  not  forget,  however,  to  take  his  flute  with  him, 
the  magic  influence  of  which  had  already  been  ackiiowl- 

12* 


274 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


edged  by  Lillian.  He  introduced  himself  with  a  cour- 
teous freedom,  explaining-  the  cause  of  himself  and  lua 
company  being  in  the  neighborhood  ;  then,  in  an  oil- 
hand  way,  alluded  to  his  interview  of  the  previous  even- 
ing with  Lillian,  attracted  thither  by  hearing  her  sing 
an  air  with  which  he  was  familiar,  having  learned  it 
from  his  mother  when  a  boy  at  home. 

He  kept  the  conversation  going  in  a  spirited  and 
agreeable  style  for  some  time,  when,  observing  the  ele- 
gant piano,  with  a  pile  of  music  close  by  it,  he,  without 
showing  much  apparent  interest  in  the  thing,  approached 
it,  and,  sitting  down  on  the  stool,  swept  his  fingers  over 
the  keys,  eliciting  a  burst  of  admiration  from  both  Lillian 
and  her  mother.  Then,  playing  the  tune  he  had  heard 
Lillian  sing  the  day  before — exciting  and  interesting  still 
more  deeply  those  wliose  good  opinion  he  wished  to  se- 
cure, and  having,  as  he  no  doubt  divined,  made  an  im- 
pression on  their  minds  favorable  to  himself — with  all 
the  suavity  that  he  could  throw  into  his  manner,  urging 
the  calls  of  duty,  he  left  them.  But  he  was  not  allowed 
to  depart  without  receiving  an  invitation,  while  his  com- 
pany remained  in  the  neighborhood,  and  as  opportunity 
offered,  to  pay  them  a  visit. 

After  Hargreaves  had  left  the  houso,  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
and  Lillian  expressed  the  opinion  that,  while  a  finished 
musician,  his  manners  were  those  of  a  polished  gentle- 
man. In  the  course  of  their  conversation,  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
was  pained  by  the  revelation  of  a  fact  she  had  before 
little  dreamed  of.  Lillian,  she  saw,  from  her  exagger- 
ated praise  of  the  personal  appearance  and  mental  at- 
tractions of  the  gay-looking  and  gifted  sergeant,  had 
lost  control  of  her  feelings  ;  and  she  began  to  throw 


woman's  p:ndurance. 


2Y5 


1  a  conr- 
aiid  his 
ri  an  otl- 
)iis  even- 
her  sing" 
iarned  it 

ited  and 
r  the  ole- 
,  witliout 
proached 
^ers  over 
th  Lillian 
ad  heard 
5ting  still 
ed  to  se- 
ie  an  im- 
-with  all 
r,  urging" 
t  allowed 
;  his  com- 
portunity 

Le  Clair 
L  finished 
d  gentle- 
,  Le  Clair 
ad  before 
exagger- 
lental  at- 
sant,  had 
to  throw 


out  words  of  caution,  and  to  urge  disparaging  probabili- 
ties in  regard  to  the  stranger.  The  difference,  she  said, 
between  the  rank  and  position  of  her  first  husband,  Cap- 
tain Walters,  and  this  Hargreaves,  who  was  only  a  ser- 
geant,  was  too  great.  But  this  was  now  a  waste  of 
words  ;  it  came  too  lat<.',  for  tlie  mischief  was  already 
done,  if  there  was  mischief  in  it ;  it  was  like  throwing 
oil  upon  the  smouldering  fire.  As  usual  in  such  cases, 
her  mother's  words  but  increased  her  fervor  in  defendin*'- 
Hargreaves.  A  man  who  so  prided  himself  in  recollec- 
tions of  his  mother,  she  pleaded,  and  ch(U"ished  such  feel- 
ings in  her  regard,  must  have  a  pure  and  tender  heart, 
and  certainly  could  not  be  a  bad  man. 

Sergeant  Hargreaves  visited  the  house  of  Mrs.  Le 
Clair  on  the  following  morning  ;  for,  with  heart  en- 
thralled and  vibrating  between  hope  and  fear,  he  could 
have  no  happiness  but  in  assurance  of  the  success  of 
his  suit.  He  was  yet  ignorant  of  the  influence  he  was 
exerting  over  the  heart  of  Lillian.  When  he  made  his 
appearance,  he  might  have  perceived  by  her  manner, 
and  the  hearty  reception  she  gave  him,  that  his  presence 
was  not  unwelcome.  Though  Mrs.  Le  Clair  exhibited 
her  usual  affability,  and  seemed  to  give  a  cordial  recep- 
tion to  Hargreaves,  yet  there  was  a  strong  under-current 
setting  in  an  opposite  direction.  She,  however,  knew 
the  resolute  mind  and  determined  will  of  Lillian,  and 
rightly  concluded,  that  if  the  passion  of  love  once  gained 
possession  of  her  heart,  it  would  overbear  all  obstacles, 
and  even  a  mother's  arguments,  commands,  and  entreaties 
be  powerless  to  control  it  or  change  its  coiu'se — it  would 
burn  on.  As  we  have  said  before,  if  there  was  mischief 
in  that,  it  was  already  accompMshed.     Lillian  had  lost 


276 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


all  control  over  her  feelings,  so  strong  was  the  passion 
of  love  in  her  heart.  The  presence  of  Hargreaves  had 
now  become  necessary  to  her  peace  and  happiness  ;  for, 
(luring  his  absence,  she  was  restless  and  unsatisfied  with 
every  thing.  It  was  tlie  sauie  with  Hargreaves,  who 
was  never  himself  while  out  of  the  company  of  Lillian  ; 
hence  all  the  time  he  could  connnand  was  spent  in  her 
society. 

Mrs.  Le  Clair  observed  with  a  painful  interest  the 
scene  passing  before  her  in  her  own  home,  and  in  which 
Lillian  was,  to  her,  the  most  prominent  object,  but  which 
she  had  been  powerless  to  change  in  any  way.  She 
dreaded  the  k)ss  of  her  only  child,  in  her  now  widowed 
and  lonely  state.  And  then  she  knew,  herself,  what  it 
was  to  be  a  soldier's  wife,  to  have  no  settled  resting- 
place,  but  to  be  a  wanderer  over  the  world,  even  with 
the  privileges  and  advantages  at  the  command  of  a 
captain.  Then,  how  must  it  be  with  the  wife  of  a  ser- 
geant, at  the  best  but  little  superior  to  one  of  a  private 
soldier  ?  It  was  agonizing  to  reflect  on  the  exposure  to 
temptation,  tlie  dangers  and  discomforts  to  which  Lillian 
would  be  subjected.  All  this  she  urged  on  her  daughter, 
but  to  no  purpose.  She  frankly  and  calmly  informed  her 
mother,  that  but  one  choice  was  left  her — between 
George  Hargreaves  as  her  husband,  with  whatever  con- 
sequences might  follow,  or  an  early  grave.  Mrs.  Le 
Clair  was  eventually  compelled  to  yield,  though  with  a 
tardy  and  unwilling  acquiescence. 

When  things  had  come  to  this  state,  Hargreaves  him- 
self began  to  take  a  more  sober  view  of  circumstances 
than  he  had  hitherto  done  ;  and  asked  himself,  wliat,  if 
he  did  marry  Lillian,  would  he  do  with  so  beautiful  a 


woman's  endurance. 


277 


creature,  either  on  the  march,  in  camp,  or  in  barracks  ? 
So  perplexed  was  his  mind  with  these  th(juglits,  tliat  he 
ventured  to  throw  out  a  liint  on  this  subject  to  Lillian, 
lie  soon  found  that  he  was  steppinjj;'  on  sacrcnl  g-rouud. 
His  thought  was  no  sooner  broached,  than  Lillian,  fully 
comprehending  its  import,  directed  a  look  towards  him 
that  seemed  to  penetrate  his  inner  being,  for  he  quailed 
before  her.  She  proudly  asked  him  if  he  doubted  the 
purity  or  the  sincerity  of  her  love,  or  the  strength  of  her 
mind  ?  But  the  candid  and  manly  avowal  of  his  full  and 
entire  confidence  in  her  at  once  calmed  her  excited  spirit, 
and  the  current  of  their  love  went  smoothly  on  as  ev(n". 

After  this,  not  a  day  passed  without  their  spending  a 
portion  of  it  in  each  other's  company  ;  and  at  each  in- 
terview some  new  feature  in  their  character  was  devel- 
oped, which  tended  to  strengthen  their  attachment : 
they  each  found  in  the  other  some  mental  excellence, 
some  accomplishment,  that  they  little  dreamed  of  at 
their  first  acquaintance. 

When  he  first  met  Lillian,  Hargreaves  saw  she  was 
beautiful,  but  she  might  prove  to  be  an  uninformed  rus- 
tic girl,  brought  up  in  the  woods,  and  who  had  asso- 
ciated only  with  the  untutored  youngsters  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. What  was  his  surprise  when  he  found  her 
able  to  converse  fluently  in  several  languages,  while  her 
knowledge  of  music  was  of  a  high  order  ;  with  a  voice, 
in  power  and  sweetness,  of  rare  excellence,  and  nothing 
of  the  rustic  in  her  bearing  and  manners  !  She,  on  the 
other  hand,  found  in  the  sergeant  at  once  the  polished 
gentleman  and  the  ripe  scholar. 

In  this  connection,  we  may  as  well  give  the  reader 
some  general  idea  of  the  antecedents  of  Hargreaves. 


278 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


Ho  was  a  yoniif^cr  son  of  an  aristocratic  family  in  tlio 
Houth  of  En<;*lan(l,  which  had  been  reduced  in  circiini- 
stanccs  hy  boinf^  on<^a^cd  in  a  lonj^  and  expensive  law- 
suit, the  wlujle  estate  having  been  thrown  into  the  Court 
of  Chancery.  Although  he  had  received  a  hig-h  classical 
education,  yet  Hargreaves  had  been  so  rcduc(?d  as  to 
be  without  any  present  means  of  obtaining  a  living. 
Being  of  too  proud  a  spirit  to  labor  in  a  subordinate 
position,  or  to  be  dependent  on  relatives  without  labor, 
and  also  of  a  romantic  turn  of  mind  and  fond  of  ad- 
venture, he  went  to  a  distant  part  of  the  country,  where 
he  was  not  personally  known,  and  there  enlisted  as  a 
common  soldier,  with  the  determination  of  raising  him- 
self in  the  army  by  his  own  merit.  At  the  time  of  his 
first  introduction  to  our  notice,  in  his  interview  with 
Lillian,  he  was  about  twenty-three  years  of  age  ;  and 
in  the  short  space  of  two  years,  had,  by  good  behavior 
and  strict  attention  to  the  duties  of  his  station,  risen  to 
the  position  of  sergeant  in  tiie  company  to  wliich  he 
belonged,  with  a  fair  prospect  of  still  further  advance- 
ment. 

Here,  then,  Hargreaves  and  Lillian  are  presented  to 
us,  as  a  couple  of  young,  ardent,  and  romantic  beings, 
comparatively  ignorant  of  the  world,  and  of  the  stern 
realities  and  demands  of  the  world's  life.  Hence,  to 
rush  into  each  other's  arms  and  link  their  fortunes  for 
life,  was  a  present  bliss  ;  and  tbey  were  not  anxious  to 
pry  far  into  the  future.  As  usual,  in  such  cases,  tiie 
good  wishes  and  congratulations  of  the  young  and  un- 
thinking outweigh  the  doubts  and  surmisings  of  cooler 
and  more  thoughtful  heads.  But,  be  it  for  weal  or  for 
woe,  the  union  was  now  a  fact,  to  the  joy  of  the  two 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


279 


in  tlift 
ircurn- 
e  law- 
Court 
assical 
.  as  to 
living, 
rdiiiate 
labor, 
of  ad- 
,  where 
;d  as  a 
ng  him- 
;  of  his 
w  with 
e  ;    and 
ehavior 
ris(3n  to 
liich  he 
dvance- 

nted  to 
beings, 
le  stern 
L^nce,  to 
nnes  for 
xious  to 
ses,  the 
and  iin- 
f  cooler 
al  or  for 
the  two 


most  deeply  interested.  After  the  nuptials,  none  could 
be  niore  hapjty  than  the  wedded  pair  just  launchcil  upon 
a  summer  sea,  with  a  favoring  breeze,  their  bark  well- 
provisioned,  and  bound  for  elysian  eiim(.'s.  But,  meta- 
piior  apart,  as  far  as  material  necessaries  and  even  lux- 
uries were  concerned,  they  were  am[)ly  provided  ;  and  so 
on  that  score  their  lunirts  were  at  ease. 

Lillian,  soon  after  her  union  with  Hargreaves,  was 
deeply  pained  by  the  arrival  of  marching  orders  for 
the  company  to  which  he  belonged.  Of  course  he 
had  to  go  with  the  command.  Here  was  now  njalized 
one  of  the  contingencies  that  had  so  perplexed  and 
aillicted  the  mind  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  and  now  it  came 
home  with  all  its  distressing  force  to  the  mind  and  heart 
of  Lillian.  She  had  to  leave  her  mother,  and  her  home, 
with  all  its  tender  associations  and  terrible  recollections. 
She  visited  the  grave  of  her  murdered  father,  and,  as 
she  had  often  done,  bedewed  it  with  her  tears.  But, 
when  the  moment  came  for  her  to  bid  adieu  to  her  fond 
mother,  she  manifested  intense  sorrow.  In  a  paroxysm 
of  agony  she  cried  out — 

"  My  mother  1  oh,  my  mother,  how  can  I  leave  you  ! 
you,  to  whom  I  am  so  deeply  indebted — you,  who  have 
borne  so  mildly  with  my  wild  freaks,  and  so  patiently 
striven  to  inform  my  ignorance,  and  C(jrrect  all  my  way- 
wardness— you,  to  whom  I  owe  whatever  of  good  I  pos- 
sess !  But  I  know  the  nature  of  the  vows  I  have  as- 
sumed ;  and  I  know,  too,  that  my  heart  and  my  person 
now  belong  to  another,  and  duty  demands  our  separa- 
tion, howler  painful  it  may  prove  to  our  feelings. 
But,  mother,  when  I  erase  to  remember  you,  when  my 
warmest  affections  c  A  in  the  least  towards  you,  may 


i 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


*ds 


(<?■ 


w. 


280 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


Heaven  no  longer  smile  upon  me  1  But,  mother,  tliiit 
can  never  be  ;  no,  never  will  I  forget  you,  my  motlier  !" 

Her  motlier  was  deeply  moved  at  this  passionate  dis- 
play ol"  Lillian's  vehement  feelings,  and  the  wounds  of 
her  heart  seemed  to  he  opened  alrcsh.  She.  however, 
had  more  command  over  herself  than  had  Lillian  ;  for 
she  had  already  been  led  through  deep  waters,  had  been 
in  many  a  fiery  furnace,  and  had  not  come  out  of  them 
altogether  unscathed,  and  still  bore  the  marks  of  them 
burned  into  her  very  soul.  Bowing  with  deep  submission 
to  this  heavy  affliction,  she  held  her  peace,  fully  believ- 
ing and  acknowledging  that  this,  as  well  as  other  be- 
reavements she  had  endured,  were  among  the  "  all 
things"  that  would  eventually  work  together  for  her 
good. 

After  the  departure  of  Lillian  with  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Le  Ol'iir  calmly  considered  her  situation,  and  felt  all  the 
loneliness  of  her  condition.  But  a  comparatively  short 
time  previous  to  this,  she  was  happy  in  the  possession 
of  every  earthly  good, — with  a  loving  and  tender  husband, 
and  a  daughter,  who,  with  unsurpassed  attractions,  had  a 
heart  as  pure  as  it  was  affectionate,  she  was  rich  in  all 
the  blessings  an  indulgent  Providence  could  bestow. 
But  now  she  was  a  widow  ;  and,  to  add  to  all  her  other 
sorrows,  she  had  lost  her  daughter,  her  only  child — 
leaving  a  dreary  blank  in  that  household  of  which  she 
had  been  the  chief  ornament.  But,  stricken  and  smitten 
as  she  was,  she  bravely  bore  up,  and  with  her  usual 
fortitude  met  every  duty,  assiduously  supervising  every 
department  of  labor  that  required  her  attention  on  the 
farm,  as  well  as  the  more  immediate  household  work. 
As  if  a  stranger  to  fatigue,  she  was  up  early,  and  late 


W  O  M  A  N's     endurance. 


2S1 


ber,  that 
nother  !" 
natc  dis- 
)iinds  of 
iowevor, 
ian  ;   for 
lad  beeu 
of  them 
of  them 
bmission 
y  believ- 
Dther  be- 
the   "all 
•  for  her 

and,  Mrs. 
ilt  all  the 
ely  short 
lossessioii 
■  husband, 
ons,  had  a 
rich  in  all 
i  bestow. 

her  other 
[y  child — 
tvhich  she 
id  smitten 

her  usual 
i'mg  every 
ion  on  the 
liold  work. 
/,  and  late 


took  rest ;  and  she  had  the  pleasing-  satisfaction  to 
know,  that  not  only  was  hers  the  largest,  but  that  it 
was  also  the  best  cultivated  farm  in  all  that  district, 
and  promised  the  finest  and  most  abundant  crops. 

There  had  been  a  good  deal  of  private  gossip  at  Lil- 
lian's expense  between  Mrs.  Jones  and  Mrs.  Brown,  both 
before  and  after  her  marriage  with  Sergeant  Hargnsj.ves. 
It  had  been  a  matter  of  astonishment  with  them  that 
Lillian  did  not  look  higher  than  a  sergeant  for  a  hue- 
band  ;  and  they  were  much  surprised  that  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
did  not  use  her  authority,  and  not  allow  her  daughter  to 
marry  a  stranger  like  Hargreaves.  Why,  in  their  esti- 
mation, it  was  no  better  than  if  she  had  married  a  pri- 
vate soldier  I 

"  As  to  that,"  said  Mrs.  Jones,  "  he  may  be  reduced 
to  a  private  yet,  for  what  one  knows,  if  he  should  get 
out  with  any  of  the  officers." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Brown,  "  for  Fve  often  and 
often  known  that  to  be  the  case." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  and  so  have  I,"  said  Mrs.  Jones  ;  "  and 
then  what'U  become  of  all  the  fine  things  the  old  Indian 
witch  said  about  her  ?  But,"  she  continued,  "  I  always 
thought,  and  said,  that  it  was  nothing  but  downritrht 
blasphemy  ;  and  it  has  all  come  to  what  I  always  thought 
it  would — that  it  would  all  end  in  smoke." 

We  give  merely  an  outline  of  what  was  the  general 
tone  of  their  conversation  ;  but,  as  we  have  said,  this 
was  all  private. 


*482 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


We  will  now  follow  Lillian  and  her  husband,  and 
learn  how  circumstances  g-o  with  them.  Lillian  had 
been  provided  with  a  private  conveyance  to  Montreal, 
she  not  wishinp^  to  go  with  the  baggage  of  th<»  company. 
When  they  arriv(!d  in  Montreal,  Hargreavos  procured 
private  lodgings  for  his  wife,  in  a  retired  place  not  far 
from  the  barracks  ;  and  in  this  place,  free  fnjm  the  in- 
trusion of  the  inquisitive  and  the  prying  eyes  of  the 
curious,  they  enjoyed  themselves  and  were  happy.  But 
Lillian,  who  had  aforetime  roamed  abroad  at  will,  and 
breathed  the  pure  and  invigorating  air  of  hf^avcn,  could 
not  act  the  recluse.  By  the  directions  of  her  husband, 
as  well  as  to  gratify  her  own  wishes,  she  would  often 
stroll  along  the  bank  of  the  noble  St.  Lawrence,  admir- 
ing the  grandtnir  of  the  scenc^ry,  and  rambling  whither- 
soever her  inclination  led  her.  But  a  person  of  her  ap- 
pearance could  not  long  pursue  this  course  without  at- 
tracting the  observation  of  men,  and  osjtecially  that  of 
the  officers  of  the  regiment  to  which  Hargreaves  be- 
longed. One  might  presume  that  it  was  (at  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century,  though,  of  course,  it  is  not  so 
now)  the  main  object  of  the  lives  of  a  majority  of  the 
officers  of  the  British  army  to  find  out,  to  admire,  to 
insult,  if  not  to  seduce,  beautiful  women.  It  appeared 
that  one  of  the  younger  officers  had  noticed  Lillian  while 


WOMAN   S    ENDURANCE. 


288 


ind,   and 
lian   had 
Montreal, 
company, 
procured 
e  not  far 
m  the  in- 
es  of  the 
3py.     Bnt 
,  will,  and 
/en,  could 
husband, 
)uld  often 
ce,  adniir- 
r  whithcn-- 
[)f  her  ap- 
ithout  at- 
ly  that  of 
eaves  be- 
the  latter 
irt  not  so 
ity  of  the 
iidinire,  to 
appeared 
llian  while 


on  one  of  her  excursive  rambles,  lie  was  esp<'cially 
attracted  by  her  ihw  fi«z;ure  and  majestic;  mien  :  of  more 
tlian  these  he  was  not  able  to  judjj^e,  for  her  face  was 
covered  by  a  heavy  veil.  But  he  hud  seen  enou<^h  to 
excite  his  curiosity,  and  was  not  lon»>;  in  communicating 
the  knowledge  of  his  discovery  to  some  of  his  chums. 
This  information  caused  quite  a  flutter  amont^  the  mem- 
bers of  the  officers'  mess-room.  Inquiry  was  mad(?,  and 
conjecture  exhausted,  as  to  who  this  strange  beauty 
could  be.  On  the  morrow,  to  learn  who  she  was  and 
her  place  of  residence,  scouts  were  thrown  out  in  every 
direction,  who  visited  every  place  where  it  was  under- 
stood she  was  in  the  habit  of  taking  her  accustome-d 
walks. 

The  mystery  these  conspirators  against  female  virtue 
had  set  out  to  solve  remained  for  som(>  davs  ui.devel- 
oped  ;  but  this  was  not  for  want  of  vigilance  in  the 
pursuers  of  mischicif.  At  length,  howev(>r,  these  harpies 
were  so  far  successful  as  to  fiivd  out  that  Lillian  was  a 
married  woman,  th(;  wife  of  Sergeant  IIargreav('s.  They 
were  surprised  at  this  discovery,  and  disappoint<.*d  ;  but 
they  were  not  dismayed,  for  it  could  not  be  supposed 
that  a  sergeant  would  be  allowed  to  stand  as  an  ob- 
stacle in  the  way  of  the  attainment  of  the  wishes  of  his 
superiors.  They  therefore  laid  their  heads  together  and 
set  their  wits  to  work  to  obtain  possession  of  the  coveted 
prize.  Many  schemes  were  suggested,  discussed,  and 
then  laid  aside,  as  being  impracticable.  But  thc.'re  was 
one  of  these  officers — and  w(;  are  not  sure  tl:at  he  was 
more  deeply  steeped  in  vice,  or  that  his  soul  was  more 
oblivious  of  virtue  than  the  rest — who  suggested  that 
Hargreaves  should  be  dispatched  on  some  message  that 


7—f 


284 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


would  require  his  absence  from  tlie  regiment  for  ten 
(lays  or  a  fortnif^ht.  This  would  afford  tliom  ample  time 
to  accomplish  their  diabolical  purpose.  Tiie  sclieine  so 
deliberately  planned  was  soon  in  process  of  execution, 
llargreaves,  with  a  file  of  men,  was  sent  to  a  distant 
locality  to  arrest  a  deserter,  who,  the  conmiand  had 
lately  been  informed,  was  residing  at  the  place  indi- 
cated in  the  warrant.  No  sooner  had  Hargreaves  been 
started  on  his  journey,  than  the  officers  who  had  joined 
in  this  nefarious  plot  were  all  on  the  alert.  They  visited 
all  the  places  which  Lillian  was  known  to  have  fre- 
quented, but  to  no  purpose.  She  was  not  to  be  found 
for  some  time,  and  that  for  the  very  good  reason  that 
she  had  never  left  her  own  room  since  her  husband  went 
away.  But  at  length,  her  patience  having  been  severely 
tested,  and  anxious  for  the  return  of  her  husband,  Lillian 
stepped  to  the  door,  and  was  standing  there,  her  eyes 
glancing  one  way  and  another,  when  one  of  the  boldest 
and  most  dashing  officers  of  the  regiment  came  suddenly 
up  to  her,  and  in  a  very  polite  and  gallant  way  raised 
his  hat,  and  making  his  obeisance,  said — 

"  Mrs.  Hargreaves,  I  presume  ?" 

Lillian,  with  a  dignified  air,  and  without  much  embar- 
rassment, said,  "  Yes,  sir." 

He  then  said,  "  I  have,  for  some  time,  felt  a  strong 
desire  to  make  your  acquaintance,  I  have  heard  so  much 
of  your  personal  attractions  ;  but  now  I  find  that  the 
half  has  not  been  told  me.  Where  has  so  much  excel- 
lence been  hiding  itself  until  now,  my  sweet  creature  ?" 

As  the  officer  was  thus  proceeding  with  his  empty  and 
fulsome  fiattery,  Lillian  kept  stepping  backwards,  while 
the  officer  continued  his  advance  towards  her,  until  they 


WOMAN   S    END  U  RANG  K. 


285 


wore  both  within  the  room,  when  he  closed  tlic  door. 
Lillian's  face  became  suffused  with  a  deep  scarlet  ;  but 
this  was  not  like  the  blushes  that  often  came  in  response 
to  the  fond  caresses  of  her  husband.  It  was  an  unmis- 
takable indication  of  stern  resentment,  and  an  indicnant 
rebuke  of  her  insulted  womanhood.  Her  eyes  Hashed 
dn.'adful  fire-;— her  whole  fram<;  became  ri^id,  and  seemed 
to  assunjc  vaster  proportions.  The  oflQcer  seeing*  this, 
and  supposing'  it  to  be  evidence  of  fear,  presumed  to 
place  his  hand  upon  her  bare  shoulder,  saying-  at  the 
same  time,  "  Do  not  be  alarmed,  my  sweet  angel."  The 
words  were  scarcely  out  of  his  mouth  when  Lillian  ex- 
hibited somewhat  of  her  old  rage,  for,  like  the  arouscnl 
tigress,  she  flew  at  him,  and  caught  him  with  a  gripe 
from  which  he  was  utterly  unable  to  extricate  himself. 
And  then,  with  more  than  mnsculine  strength,  she 
dashed  him  with  such  force  to  the  floor,  that  for  a  mo- 
ment lie  appeared  stunned.  Now,  with  one  hand  she 
held  a  Arm  gripe  on  his  throat,  and  plied  his  face  with 
the  other  with  such  vigor,  that  it  was  soon  so  disfigured 
that  his  friends  would  hardly  have  recognized  him. 

At  this  stage  of  things,  who  should  open  the  door 
and  step  into  the  room  but  her  husband.  As  may  be 
supposed,  he  stood  there  confounded,  immovable,  for  a 
moment.  But  when  his  first  feeling  of  amazement,  which 
was  but  for  a  moment,  had  subsided,  he  sprang  forward 
and  endeavored  to  lift  his  wife  from  off  her  prostrate 
victim  ;  but  so  tenacious  was  her  grasp  upon  his  throat, 
that  it  was  only  by  an  exertion  of  his  main  strength 
he  could  make  her  let  go  her  hold.  And  even  then  he 
with  difficulty  restrained  her,  as  she  seemed  determined 
to  take  his  life.     In  fact,  there  was  something  superhu- 


'    f 


286 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


mtiii  ii»  licr  wrath  and  in  hor  wholo  appearance — so  iniicli 
so,  that  even  her  liusband  was  terriiied  at  tli(i  Hi<;lit. 
1T(M'  Indian  hlood  was  hoilin*^  within  her — lier  brain  was 
on  lire; — and  she  was  consequently  re<^ardles8  of"  any 
results  tiiat  might  follow.  It  was  fortunate  for  the  of- 
ficer, and  even  for  Lillian  herself,  that  Ilargreaves  made 
his  appearance  when  he  did,  for  the  officer  niipcht,  other- 
wise, in  a  short  time  liave  been  with  those  beyond  the 
flood. 

While  Ilargrcaves  and  Lillian  were  thus  wrestling,  he 
to  restrain  Ikt,  and  she,  fierce  as  a  tiger,  striving  to  re- 
new the  attack,  the  officer,  thus  liberated,  was  not  slow 
in  making  good  liis  retreat,  with  his  handkerchief  over 
his  disfigured  face,  making  his  way  as  best  he  could  to 
his  (piarters.  When  there,  he  sent  for  the  surg(.'on  of 
the  regiment,  to  whom  he  mad(;  a  lame  and  impotent 
excuse  for  the  condition  iii  which  that  gentleman  found 
him  ;  and  it  was  only  to  two  or  three  of  the  officers, 
who  were  in  the  secret  of  the  plot,  that  ho  made  a  state- 
ment of  his  experience  in  his  encounter  with  Lillian. 
He  declared  that  Lillian  was,  beyond  all  question,  the 
moat  beautiful  woman  he  had  ever  seen  ;  but,  he  said, 
she  is  a  perfect  she-devil. 

It  was  some  time  before  Lillian  calmed  down  suflfi- 
cieutly  to  give  Hargreaves  anything  like  an  intelligible 
statement  of  the  above  circumstances,  a  part  of  which  he 
had  himself  witnessed.  Having  heard  the  whole  story, 
he  could  not  but  approve  of  the  conduct  of  Lillian,  al- 
though he  foresaw  that  trouble  to  himself  was  almost 
sure  to  arise  out  of  this  untoward  event.  And  it  was 
not  long  before  he  found,  to  his  intense  mortification, 
that  nearly  all   the  officers  of  the  regiment  made  it  a 


11 


WOMANS    ENIU'RANCii. 


287 


-so  iniH'li 
Mi)  Hi<;-lit. 
brain  vvas 
J8  of  any 
or  the  ot- 
ivos  made 
rht,  other- 
uyoud  the 

ostling,  lie 
ving  to  rc- 
8  not  sl(AV 
chief  over 
le  could  to 
snr}j^(.'on  of 
.1  impotent 
nnan  found 

le  officers, 
ide  a  state- 
itli  Lillian, 
lestion,  the 

t,  he  said, 

own  suffi- 
intellip^ible 
f  which  he 
hole  story, 
Lillian,  al- 
was  almost 
And  it  was 
ortification, 
;  made  it  a 


point  to  outrage  his  feelings  in  every  possible  way. 
'rh(\y  soon  found  a  paltry  pretext  as  an  excuse  to  break 
him  as  a  sergeant,  and  reduce  him  to  the  ranks,  al- 
1  hough  ho  had  purposely  been  on  his  guard,  highly  ex- 
emplary in  all  his  words  and  actions,  and  att<Mitive  to 
his  duty.  But,  guilty  or  not,  tlu-y  had  injured  him, 
therefore  they  could  not  forgive  him.  They  had  been 
disappointed  in  their  nefarious  schemes  upon  the  honor 
and  virtue  of  his  wife,  therefore  they  made  him  the  ob- 
ject at  which  they  aimed  their  envenomed  darts.  The 
military  profession,  through  all  its  grades,  is  #  system 
of  espionage  and  sycophancy,  the  inferior  cringing  to 
the  superior,  and  the  superior  lording  it  over  the  infe- 
rior. Hence,  if  it  was  desinul  by  a  superior  ollicer  to 
make  his  inferior  an  otlender  for  a  word  even,  he  had 
always  his  tools  at  hand,  to  assist  him  in  carrying  out 
liis  purpose — ready  to  swear  away  the  character  of  the 
innocent.  And  oh,  how  sadly,  was  this  put  in  practice 
in  the  case  of  George  Ilargreaves  !  Every  ear  being 
closed  against  him,  there  was  no  tribunal  to  which  he 
could  submit  his  complaints.  He  was  but  a  privato 
soldier,  and  it  was  his  duty  to  submit  without  a  mur- 
mur, however  harsh  and  overbearin«>:  mi<rht  be  the  con- 
duct  of  his  superiors.  Such  was  the  dictum  of  his 
self-constituted  judges.  He  now  clearly  saw  that  evil 
was  hedging  him  around,  and  that  he  was  without  any 
way  of  escape.  With  feelings  tortured  by  the  insults 
and  contumely  he  was  daily  suflfering,  it  would  be  no 
wonder  if  a  word  should  escape  him,  in  some  measure 
expressive  of  a  sense  of  the  unmerited  wrongs  he  was 
enduring.  We  give  an  instance  in  point.  The  second 
lieutenant,  a  small,  beardless  upstart,  was  inspecting  the 


288 


THE     BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


Jirtiis  and  accoutrciix'uts  of  tlio  compiuiy,  and  on  oominfi^ 
to  Uaij^Tcavcs,  wlio  wuh  always  one  of"  the  tvininu'st, 
and  clci. 'M'st-l(M»kin^  men  of  the  conij)any,  unjustly 
taunted  him  with  heinj^  ne^lig-iMit  and  dirty.  On  liear- 
ing  this  aspersion  cast  upon  him,  Ilarj^reavcs  turned, 
and  said,  with  some  abruptness,  that  when  he  cU'aned 
tliem,  he  left  not  a  spot  upon  them.  The  boy-ofiiccr, 
witli  an  assumption  of  false  dij^^nity,  and  his  face  red- 
dening with  raj^e,  said,  "  Do  you  char«^e  me  with  bein<;- 
a  liar,  sir?"  and  calling-  a  c<-)rporal  and  a  file  of  men, 
ordered  them  to  take  Hargreaves  to  the  guard-house. 
It  was  (jasy  for  the  officer  to  bring  witnesses  who,  with 
a  little  coloring  of  the  circumstances,  could  make  out  of 
this  a  gross  act  of  disobedience  when  on  duty  and  in 
the  ranks  ;  and,  as  the  maintenance  of  strict  discipline 
in  the  regiuKMit  was  indispensable?,  this  aggravated  case 
cojJd  not  be  overlooked,  and  must  not  be  allowed  to 
pass  unpunished. 

A  case  was  soon  made  out  against  Hargreaves,  and 
a  court-marshal  convened  for  his  trial.  We  would  re- 
mark here,  that  Hargreaves  had  scrupulously  kept  from 
Lillian  the  knowledge  of  all  the  annoyances  he  had  en- 
dured, from  a  fear  that  she  might  charge  herself  with 
being  the  cause  of  all  his  suffering,  by  the  deserved 
chastisement  she  had  inflicted  on  the  officer  who  insulted 
her.  When  she  did  first  hear  that  he  was  placed  in  the 
guard-house,  and  was  about  to  be  tried  by  court-martial, 
she  was  greatly  excited  ;  and  with  untiring  solicitude, 
availing  herself  of  every  chance  to  obtain  a  hearing,  she 
pleaded  earnestly  for  his  release.  But  she  sued  in  vain  ; 
they  were  determined  on  avenging  the  shame  and  suf- 
fering of  a  brother  oflBcer,     Nothing,  therefore,  would 


woman's     ENDtlKANCE. 


2S0 


riimnost, 
unjustly 
3n  Insir- 
5  tunuid, 
i  clcaiK^d 
)y-offic«r, 
face  rcd- 
itli  hii'n\p: 
of  men, 
ird-houac, 
ivho,  with 
ike  out  of 
ty  and  in 
discipline 
^ated  case 
til  owed  to 

Mives,  and 
would  re- 
kept  from 
ic  had  en- 
rself  with 
d(}served 
)  insulted 
ced  in  the 
t-inartial, 
solicitude, 
aring,  she 
d  in  vain  ; 
e  and  suf- 
■jre,  would 


satisfy  tliein  but  tin;  (lis;xrace  of  their  vietinj,  as  a  fitting 
atonement  for  their  vvouiidt'd  pride  and  dis:ip|)ointed 
lust.  As  tiie  self-cre.ited  judges  of  llars^Teaves  had  idl 
things  tiicir  own  way,  it  was  easy  for  them  to  select 
their  tools  as  members  of  tluj  court-martial. 

When  the  day  arrived  for  this  court  to  convene  and 
sit  in  solemn  dignity  to  carry  out  the  farce  of  a  trial, 
the  ujanacled  victim  was  brought  before  them  ;  and 
while  he  stood  there,  in  all  the  dignity  of  conscious 
imiocence,  not  one  of  his  guilty  judges  couhl  meet  th(^ 
steady  gaze  of  his  flashing  eye.  But  the  })«n'poso  of 
these  men  was  to  try,  to  condemn,  to  punish,  and  it  was 
to  mask  their  purpose  with  the  forms  of  law,  that  the 
Judge-Advocat(3  (ielivered  his  pomjtous  harangue,  and 
th<'  few  suborned  witnesses  were  all  examined.  I'rom 
the  address  of  the  Judge-Advocate,  one  w(mld  have 
thought  that  the  prisoner  had  been  guilty  of  treason,  or 
some  other  high  crim(!  against  Government.  He  espi;- 
cially  dwelt  upon  the  great  necessity  of  (curbing  the 
insubordination  of  the  connnon  soldier  ;  and  (h'scanted 
upon  the  great  disparity  that  existed  between  them  and 
the  officers  of  the  British  army,  who  were  invariably 
s(!lect(.'d  from  the  upper  and  educated  classes.  And 
tiiat  the  diiJerent  grades  might  fully  und(Mstand  their 
proper  level,  and  the  duties  of  their  separate  stations, 
and  that  the  lower  might  not  infringe  upon  the  upper 
with  impunity,  he  called  upon  the  members  of  the 
court-martial  to  make  an  example  of  th(j  prisoner  Ix;- 
fore  them,  as  a  warning:  to  everv  common  soldier  in  this, 
or  any  other  regiment  under  the  British  crown.  After 
this  insult  to  humanity  and  common  sense,  to  say  nothing 
of  justice,  the  court  were  left  alone  with  closed  doors,  to 

13 


i>!M) 


THE    BLACK     THAN  TOM;     OR, 


l)riii<j;'  in  tlnir  fimllni;',  wliicli  was  an  caHy  iiiattrr,  and 
<|iii<'kly  done.  Tin'  findini^s  of  tiic  court  wcif,  that  tlic 
prisoner,  (ivitv^f  Ilar^reuves,  li.td  boon  g'uilty  of  j^ross 
insubordination  in  tiio  ranks,  usin<^  iinp<M*tin(Mit  and  in- 
sulting^ Ian<^ua;^e  to  his  ofliccr,  while  that  officer  wuh 
IMTlorFninfj;'  his  official  duty,  according  to  the  usaj^es  and 
general  practice  of  the  Firitisli  army.  And  that  the  said 
court,  each  and  all  of  them,  declare  the  prisoner  guilty, 
and  adjud^^e  liim  in  the  iniiiction  and  punishment  of  nine 
hundred  lashes,  to  be  received  on  his  liare  ba(;k.  Pray- 
in<^  that  this  verdict  may  be  sanctioned  and  approved 
by  the  general  commanding  this  military  district ;  and 
that  li(!  appoint  the  time  and  placv  for  said  verdict  to  be 
put  in  execution. 

At  the  time  when  this  transat.'tion  occurred,  Montreal 
was  included  in  the  military  district  of  Quebec,  in  wliicl; 
city  the  general  c«)mmanding  then  resided.  As,  how- 
ever, the  general  was  expected  to  be  up  in  Montreal  in 
a  few  days,  the  case  <jf  Hargreaves  was  kept  in  abeyance 
until  his  arrival.  The  general  came  as  expected,  and, 
without  inquiry  or  investigation,  endorsed  the  fmdings 
of  tl»e  court-martial,  by  affixing  his  signature,  and  ap- 
pointing Monday  morning  of  the  following  week  as  the 
time,  and  the  bar. '  <rk-yard  as  the  place,  for  the  consum- 
mation of  this  iniquitous  and  inhuman  infraction  of  the 
laws  of  our  cointnon  humanity.  On  the  finding  of  the 
court,  the  sentence,  and  the  order  of  the  general  in  com- 
mand being  communicated  to  Hargreaves,  as  he  lay  in 
tlie  dark,  damp  dungeon  of  the  guard-house,  the  only 
ex{Messions  to  which  he  gave  utterance  were,  "  My  God  ! 
is  it  s(j?  can  it  be  possible  ?"  However  deeply  his  mind 
may  have  been  exercised,  there  was  no  perceptible  alter- 


WOMAN  S    KNDU  RANGE. 


201 


ttcr,  iind 
lliat  Oh; 

(if  yri-uHH 

,  \i\u\  iii- 
icor  waH 
ii«^«,'S  and 
,  the  Haul 
LT  puilty, 
lit  of  iiin«' 
k.     Pray- 
approvi'd 
rict ;  and 
diet  to  be 

,  Montreal 
;,  in  whit' 
As,  how- 
[ontreal  in 
[  abeyance 
cted,  and, 
e  findings 
,  and  ap- 
eek  as  the 
le  consuni- 
tion  of  tiie 
ing  of  the 
ral  in  corn- 
he  lay  in 
.^  the  only 
"  My  God ! 
y  his  mind 
tible  alter- 


ation in  his  outward  appeiMMiK-e,  it  was  not  a  stolid 
hanhicss  or  stoical  indill'erenct!  tliat  supported  him,  but 
a  manly  coura^-e,  inspired  l)y  a  consciousness  of  his  in- 
no(MMH'e  of  any  actual  or  intended  wroni;.  T\w  only  re- 
(piest  he  made  was,  that  he  mi^iit  be  ptMinitted  to  see 
liis  wife.  II(!  knew  well  that  tlie  principal  aim  and 
dcsijj^n  of  his  persecutors  was  to  punish  him,  in  order  to 
brin<j^  ^-rief  to  her  h(?art,  as  tlie  only  satisfaction  they 
could  obtain  to  their  fierce  iiate. 

When  the  deeply  stricker  '^jillian  enten.'d  the  cell 
where  her  husband  was  confii.'  1,  and  was  made  fully 
aware  of  the  lengths  to  whicli  these  fiends  in  human 
form,  defiant  at  >»ice  of  all  if?ht,  of  <"''uih,  and  of  justice, 
were  determined  to  go,  her  he;  vt  sank  within  her,  as 
she  hung  u[)on  his  breast  and  wept  bitter  tears.  With 
deep  emotion,  she  asked  :  '"  Oli,  my  d(!ar  George,  do  you 
blame  me  for  all  this?"  Tenderly  and  atfectlMTiately  he 
begged  her  to  banish  all  such  thoughts  from  her  mind  ; 
counselling  her,  as  they  had  been  brought  into  this  inex 
tricable  and  inexplicable  maze  of  suflering  without  any 
misdoings  on  their  part,  to  allow  providence  to  solve  its 
own  enigma  ;  that,  if  it  should  be  that  we  can  have  no 
redress  or  satisfaction  in  this  wcn'ld,  we  may  be  sure 
there  will  be  full  compensation  in  the  next.  After 
deeply  sympathizing  with  each  other,  and  piously  com- 
mitting their  cause  into  His  hands  who  seeth  the  end 
from  the  beginning,  Lillian  left  her  husband,  and  with 
hasty  steps  and  a  sad  heart  iv  tired  to  her  own  njom. 
And  when  there,  as  soon  as  she  could  collect  her 
thoughts,  she  sat  down  and  wrote  to  her  mother  a  state- 
ment of  the  above  gainful  events. 


202 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 


As  there  will  be  some  time  intervening  before  the 
carrying  out  of  the  senteiice  in  the  case  of  Hargreaves, 
we  will  take  advantage  of  the  interim  to  pay  a  visit  to 
the  upper  province,  and  learn  how  things  are  progress- 
ing on  the  farm  of  Mrs,  Le  Clair,  the  late  home  of  Lillian. 
It  must  be  understood  that  the  events  of  our  narrative 
which  are  now  being  developed,  are  at  least  twenty 
years  in  advance  of  the  arrival  of  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Walters  at  their  new  home.  At  that  time  it  was  a  dense 
forest ;  the  woodmrln's  axe  had  scarcely  made  any  im- 
pression ;  and  it  was  difficult  for  a  novice  to  thread  his 
way  through  the  tangled  brush,  or  to  follow  the  winding 
and  intricate  paths  that  had  been  formed  by  the  red- 
man,  and  the  scarcely  less  savage  animals  with  which 
it  abounded.  But  now  there  was  a  complete  transform- 
ation :  fruitful  fields  and  smiling  plenty  blessed  and 
rewarded  those  who  had  spent  years  of  patient  toil  for 
this  pleasing  result.  The  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs 
that  had  been  planted  by  Captain  Walters,  or  soon  after 
his  death,  now,  by  their  vigorous  growtl),  tiieu-  luxuri- 
ant and  beautiful  foliage,  lent  a  special  charm  to  the 
scene,  that  captivated  the  eye  and  gratified  the  taste  of 
the  lover  of  the  picturesque.  And  as  may  be  supposed, 
great  and  important  changes  had  taken  place  in  the  per- 
sonal and  relative  positions  of  all  the  parties  composing 


WOMAN'S    ENDURANCE. 


293 


)ofore  the 
irgreavcs, 

a  visit  to 

progress- 
of  Lillian. 

narrative 
1st  twenty 
1  and  Mrs. 
ras  a  dense 
de  any  im- 

thrcad  his 
he  winding 
jy  the  red- 
ith  which 

transform- 
llessed  and 
lient  toil  for 

nd  shrubs 
soon  after 

i(;ir  luxuri- 
Jarm  to  the 
Ithe  taste  of 
|e  supposed, 
in  the  per- 
composing 


tlie  original  company.  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Jones  had 
cacli  been  presented  with  valuable  allotments  of  hind 
by  Mrs.  Le  Clair  ;  and  by  tijeir  industry  and  skilful 
management,  had  brought  their  improvements  to  a  high 
state  of  pcirfection.  The  son  of  Brown  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jones,  arrived  at  mature  age,  had  linked  their  for- 
tunes for  life  ;  and  having  been  presented  with  a  snug 
little  farm  by  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  were  living  in  hopes  of  soon 
being  surrounded  by  little  pledges  of  their  affection,  to 
sw(;eter.  and  adorn  the  future  of  their  domestic  life. 
Our  old  acquaintance,  the  facetious  little  Baptisto,  now 
grown  gray,  feels  the  weight  of  years  pressing  heavily. 
Still,  he  appears  to  be  a  useful  appendage  to  the  home 
of  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  There  was  not  much  of  him  to  look 
at  when  in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  life  ;  but  he  is  now 
dwindled  down  to  a  mere  shadow.  Small  in  person 
as  he  may  be,  his  consequential  dignity  and  self-impor- 
tance have  expanded  to  vaster  proportions.  But  Bap- 
tiste  must  soon  be  gathered  to  his  fathers,  and  these 
pages  may  be  the  only  voucher  of  his  ever  having  lived. 
Th(j  one  who  lias  been  the  principal  theme  of  our  narra- 
tive, does  not  present  the  bloom  and  vigor  that  she  did 
when  she  first  came  under  our  notice.  A  period  of  moie 
than  twenty  years  has  elapsed,  and  made  sad  work  with 
the  frame  and  figure  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  But  it  has  not 
been  eftected  so  much  by  the  wear  of  time,  as  by  the 
events  through  whicii  she  has  had  to  pass.  Her  heartr 
sorrows  have  borne  heavily  upon  her  ;  and  though  her 
tongue  mar  be  mute  and  uncomplaining,  still  that  noble 
countenance  is  a  teller  of  sad  tales.  Although  present- 
ing the  appearance  of  a  careworn  matron,  yet  she  has 
such  elasticity  of  mind  and  mental  vigor,  that,  if  her 


294: 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


words  are  few,  they  are  weighty.  And  her  personal 
influence  is  greater,  as  there  is  a  more  irnpHcit  obedience 
accorded  to  her  wishes  ;  indeed,  a  profound  deference  is 
paid  to  her.  This  was  seen  in  the  progress  made  in  all 
the  operations  on-  the  farm  in  the  year  that  Lillian  left 
her  home.  It  had  been  better  and  more  extensively 
cultivated,  and  had  yielded  a  more  abundant  crop  than 
in  any  former  year.  And  that  crop  had  been  carefully 
gathered  and  successfully  garnered,  so  that  her  mind 
was  comparatively  at  ease  as  to  the  future,  and  her 
time  was  more  at  her  own  command.  She  was  thus  left 
at  liberty  to  give  full  scope  to  the  benevolence  of  her 
dispijsition  ;  and  as  Providence  had  been  so  bountiful  to 
her,  she  felt  and  acted  as  though  she  were  only  the  al- 
moner of  Heaven.  Many  a  naked  family  were  clothed, 
many  a  sad  and  sorrowful  heart  was  made  glad,  by  her 
synipatiiy  and  her  material  aid. 

One  day  Mrs.  Le  Clair  started  on  one  of  her  errands 
of  mercy  to  a  poor  family  in  the  neighborliood,  and  her 
own  heart  felt,  as  the  good  and  pure  under  like  circum- 
stances always  feel,  that  in  blessing  she  was  blest.  On 
returning,  when  at  some  distance  from  her  home — 
that  home  which,  but  a  few  hours  before,  she  had  left 
abounding  with  such  plenty — she  was  alarmed  at  seeing 
dense  volumes  of  smoke  filling  the  entire  atmosphere. 
Her  woi'st  fears  were  excited  ;  for,  judging  from  tlu; 
direction  in  wiiich  the  smoke  was  blown  by  the  wind,  it 
might  prove  to  be  her  own  property  that  was  then  in 
flames.  And  sure  enough,  as  she  emerged  from  tlio 
woods,  there  was  spread  out  before  her  one  vast  sheet 
of  flame,  enveloping  all  that  she  possessed  on  earth, 
excepting  what  she  then  had  with  her.     She  saw  all  her 


woman's  endueance. 


295 


personal 
obedience 
(ference  is 
lade  in  all 
Liillian  left 
xtensively 
crop  than 
I  carefully 

her  mind 
3,  and  her 
,s  thus  left 
rice  of  her 
ountiful  to 
)nly  the  ai- 
re clothed, 
lad,  by  her 

her  errands 
Dd,  and  her 
ike  circum- 
blest.     Ou 
ler   home — 
he  had  left 
3d  at  seeing 
atmosphere, 
g  from  the 
the  wind,  it 
vas  then  in 
id  from  the 
3  vast  sheet 
d  on  earth, 
!  saw  all  her 


own  domestics,  as  well   as  numbers   of  her  neig-hbors, 
running  about  in  a  state  of  bewilderment,  and  unable  to 
arrest  the  devouring  element,  or  to   save   any  of  her 
property,  either  from  the  house  or  any  of  the  outbuild- 
ings.    Owing  to  the  long  spell  of  dry  weather,  and  the 
consequent  parched  state    of  every  thing,   the    flames 
made  very  quick  work.     Horses,  cows,  grain,  fodder  of 
every  kind,   the  hcjuse,  with   all  its  valuable  furniture, 
and  many  souvenirs  that  she  prized  above   all   money 
value,  all  were  swept  away,  nothing  remaining  but  a 
smouldering   heap  of  ruins.      Baptiste   had  been  with 
Mrs.  Le  Clair  as  her  driver,  and  on  seeing  the  extent  of 
the  disaster  he  wept  bitterly.     Mrs.  Le  Clair  herself  sat 
motionless  and  speechless,  more   like  a  statue  than  a 
living  human  being,  so  apparently  lost  was  she  to  all 
consciousness.     The  vast  clouds  of  smoke  soon  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  neighboring  farmers,,  who  crowded 
to  the  spot,  on  foot,  on  horseback,  and  in  wagons.     But 
so  complete  and  quick  had  been  the  work  of  destruction, 
that  all  these  parties  could  do,  was  to  utter  lamentations 
at  the  desolation.     They  expressed  themselves  as  being 
ready  and  willing,   by  all   the  means   in   their  power, 
whether  by  personal   exertions  or  by  material  aid,  to 
contribute  towards  the  restoration  of  the  home  of  one 
whom  they  all  respected  and  admired,  for  tiie  largeness 
of  her  benevolence  and  the  overflowing  goodness  of  her 
heart. 

Mrs.  Le  Clair  still  sat  in  her  wagon,  silent  and  immov- 
able, until  Mrs.  Brown  directed  Baptiste  to  drive  her  to 
her  own  house.  So  prostrated  was  she  on  arriving  there, 
that  she  was  carried  from  the  wagon  to  the  house  like  a 
child.     This  was  another  severe  blow  to  her  mental  and 


296 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OB, 


physical  constitution,  and  she  lay  for  some  days  without 
exhibiting  much  thought,  or  expressing-  any  anxiety  re- 
specting the  irreparable  loss  she  had  sustained.  But  at 
length,  her  mental  forces  rallying  a  little,  she  asked 
where  she  was,  and  why  they  had  brought  her  there. 
Then,  in  a  thoughtful  mood  and  with  a  serious  look,  she 
said  she  had  been  in  a  dream,  and  had  dreamt  that  slie 
saw  a  large  fire.  In  this  way  she  passed  through  suc- 
cessive stages  of  mental  recuperation,  until  full  con- 
sciousness returned.  At  length,  when  fully  restored, 
she  was  informed  of  the  nature  and  extent  of  her  mis- 
fortunes. All  were  surprised  at  the  submission  with 
which  she  bowed  to  the  dispensations  of  Providence,  for 
she  murmured  nc''.,  but  said — "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the 
Lord  hath  taken  away  ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord." 

When  she  became  able  to  leave  the  house,  she  re- 
quested Baptiste  to  hitch  the  horse  up  to  the  wagon, 
and  drive  her  to  see  the  place  of  her  former  but  now 
desolate  home.  While  she  was  contemplating  the  scene, 
a  falling  tear  now  and  then  evidenced  her  regrets.  In 
the  sadness  of  her  mind,  and  the  desolateness  of  her 
more  than  widowed  heart,  she  was  driven  to  the  place 
where  the  remains  of  her  two  husbands  lay  in  their 
beautifully-sequestered  graves,  and  where  she  herself, 
too,  expected  soon  to  retire  to  her  final  rest.  And  now, 
on  returning  to  the  comfortable  home  of  Mrs.  Brown, 
her  mind  was  depressed  with  a  deep  sense  of  her  own 
homeless  and  desolate  state. 

In  this  state  of  mental  depression,  with  gloomy  fore- 
bodings as  to  the  future,  Mrs.  Le  Clair  began  to  think  of 
Lillian.    A  number  of  letters  had  already  passed  between 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


297 


i  without 
ixiety  re- 
But  at 
tie  asked 
er  there, 
look,  s]ie 
that  she 
jugh  sue- 
full  con- 
restored, 
f  her  mis- 
ision  with 
idence,  for 
e,  and  the 
me  of  the 

se,  she  re- 
le  wagon, 
r  but  now 
the  scene, 
grets.     In 
ess  of  her 
the  place 
in  their 
le  herself, 
And  now, 
rs.  Brown, 
of  her  own 

loomy  fore- 
to  think  of 
ed  between 


o 


^y 


them,  breathing  all  the  tender  sympathies  that  we  might 
sii|)p()He  would  How  from  two  such  hearts,  and  one  de- 
lailing  to  the  other  their  daily  experience.s,  and  the 
course  of  events  as  connected  witli  themselves.  Mrs. 
Le  Clair  concluded  to  sit  down  and  write;  to  Lillian,  giv- 
ing her  a  full  statement  of  her  late  disastrous  misfor- 
tune. The  letter  finished,  she  dispatched  it  by  the  first 
conveyance.  On  the  third  day  after  sending  her  letter 
she  was  gratified  by  the  receipt  of  one  frouj  Lillian,  sup- 
posing it  contained  some  cheering  news  that  would  ex- 
ercise a  soothing  influence  over  her  own  mind.  But 
when  she  opened  and  read  it,  and  found  it  to  contain  a 
narration  of  the  circumstances  with  which  the  reader  is 
already  acquainted — the  rude  attack  on  her  own  person 
by  the  officer,  the  subsequent  ill-treatment  to  which  her 
husband  had  been  subjected  in  consequence,  his  being 
reduced  to  the  ranks,  the  false  and  malicious  charge 
brought  against  him,  his  trial  bj'^  court-martial,  and  his 
sentence  to  undergo  the  infliction  of  nine  hundred 
lashes — when  Mrs.  Le  Clair  had  read  this  fatal  letter, 
her  cup  of  sorvow  was  full  and  overflowing.  No  tea/  a 
came  to  her  relief  when  she  was  struck  down  bv  her 
own  late  misfortune  ;  but  now,  when  she  read  of  the 
distress  and  sufierings  of  her  own  daughter  Lillian,  she 
wept  as  though  her  heart  would  break.  She  was  now 
more  deeply  impressed  with  the  thought  of  her  own 
utter  helplessness  ;  for  she  had  no  means  at  her  disposal, 
and  indeed  no  resources  whatever,  wherewith  to  snpfdy 
the  wants  or  assuage  the  sorrows  of  her  suffV-ring  and 
deal  daughter  Lillian. 

Mrs.  Le  Clair  had  for  some  time  sat  steeped  in  sor- 
row and  affliction,  having  read  and  re-read  the  letter  of 

13* 


298 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


Lillian,  and  .so  deeply  absorbed  in  her  own  Had  thoughts 
as  to  be  entirely  oblivious  of  every  thing  around  her — 
wiien,  in  this  state  of  sad  and  perplexed  rclleetions,  a 
(carriage  of  more  than  common  beauty  and  fniish,  and 
drawn  by  a  pair  of  dashing,  spirited  horses,  drove  up  to 
the  wicket-gate  in  front  of  Mr.  Brown's  house,  and  from 
it  alighted  a  lady,  attired  in  a  rich  and  fashionable  trav- 
elling dress,  who  straightway  approached  the  door  and 
inc^uired  for  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  On  being  introduced  to 
Mrs.  Le  Clair,  she  took  her  liand  and  saluted  her  with  a 
warm  and  iiearty  kiss,  saying  that  she  was  sorry  to 
find  her  in  such  deep  distress.  She  bade  her  to  cheer 
up,  for  brighter  days  were  now  before  her,  and  she  would 
be  compensated  for  her  long  years  of  suffering.  All 
this,  however,  fell  upon  the  ears  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair  as 
words  without  meaning — in  her  case  especially,  for,  as 
she  said,  her  life  had  been  onC  of  sorrow,  and,  so  far  as 
this  life  was  concerned,  she  had  scarcely  a  gleam  of 
hope  in  the  future  ;  but  still  she  felt  thankful  that  she 
could  look  forward  with  confidence  to  that  world  where 
the  weary  were  at  rest,  and  where  the  wicked  would 
cease  from  troubling.  On  saying  this,  she  handed  the 
letter  of  Liliian  to  the  lady  to  read,  who,  after  reading 
it,  returned  it  to  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  at  the  same  time  assur- 
ing her  that  she  had  long  sympathized  with  her  in  her 
suiferings  ;  that  she  had  never  lost  sight  of  her  ;  that 
she  had  always  kept  a  watchful  eye  over  her  from  her 
childhood  ;  that,  though  unknown  to  her,  she  had  ever 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  her  welfare  ;  that  she  had  al- 
ways seen  that  she  was  well  cared  for,  and  all  her 
wants  fully  supplied.  All  this  seemed  very  strange 
to    Mrs.    1*3    Clair,    who    rose   from    her    chair,    and 


woman's  endurance. 


299 


loughts 
1  her— 
tions,  a 
sh,  and 
e  up  to 
id  from 
le  trav- 
)0Y  and 
need  to 
•  witli  a 
jorry  to 
0  cheer 
e  would 
,g.    All 
Clair  as 
,  for,  as 
o  far  as 
learn   of 
that  she 
d  where 
d  would 
ided  the 
'  reading 
lie  assur- 
!r  in  her 
er  ;  that 
from  her 
had  ever 
e  had  al- 
i  all  her 
■  strange 
lair,    and 


looking-   steadily   at    the    lady,    asked,    in    an    earnest 
manner—"  Why,  who  are  you  ?" 

At  this,  the  lady  stepped  outside  the  door  ;  and  in  a  few 
minutes  returning  with  her  driver,  presented  a  complete 
transformation  in  appearance— dressed,  in  fact,  as  the 
reader  will  remember  to  have  seen  them  in  other  parts 
of    our    narrative.     The   grotesque-looking    couple    ap- 
proaching Mrs.  Le  Clair,  asked  if  she  had  ever  seen 
tiiem  before.     Mrs.  Le  Clair,  looking  at  them  in  a  kind 
of  dreamy  bewilderment  for  some  moments,  cried  out, 
with  much  agitation  in  her  manner,  "  Why,  it  is  the 
black  phantom  I    What  can  all  this  mean  ?"  and  again 
sat  d(jwn  in  her  chair,  overcome  by  her  feelings. 

The  lady,  throwing  off  the  cloak  and  hood,*'and  clasp- 
ing Mrs.  Le  Clair  in  her  arms  with  affectionate  tender- 
ness, said — 

"  My  dear,  I  am  your  own  father's  sister,  and  have 
from  your  infancy  been  as  a  mother  to  you  :  for  the  se- 
crecy I  have  maintained,  I  will  give  you  reasons  here- 
after.    But  we  have  other  and  more  important  work  on 
hand  to  occupy  our  immediate  attention.    However  bear 
this  in  mind,  that  all  your  present  wants  of  every  de- 
scription are  cared  for  ;  and  I  now  trust  that    by  the 
blessmg  of  God,  your  future  days    of  happiness   and 
peace  will  prove  some  compensation  for  the  sorrows 
you  have  .  ndured.     As  I  have  always  written  in  the 
letters  you  have  received  from  me,  '  What  thou  knowest 
not  now,  thou  shalt  know  hereafter.'     There  will  be  a 
full  development  of  my  wishes  and  plans,  which,  I  trust 
will  not  only  satisfy  you  of  the  propriety  of  my'conduct 
under  the  circumstances,  but  which  will  make  it  clear 
that  Providence  will  not  allow  the  wicked  so  far  to 


300 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


triumph  in  their  selfish  and  nefarious  schemes  as  finally 
to  escape  punishment ;  or  virtue  eventually  to  g-o  un- 
vindicated  and  unrewarded.  It  is  true,  your  patience 
has  often  been  put  to  a  severe  test,  and  my  faith  sorely 
tried  ;  but,  my  dear,  I  firmly  believe  that  your  Christian 
virtues  and  graces  will  come  out  of  this  fiery  ordeal  as 
gold  purified^  and  that  you  will  yet  be  able  to  say,  as  I 
wrote  in  my  letters,  that  *  Jehovah  reigneth,  let  the  earth 
rejoice.' " 

The  news  was  soon  spread  abroad  that  an  important 
change  for  the  better  had  taken  place  in  the  circum- 
stances of  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  and  hearty  were  the  greetings 
and  congratulations  she  received.  So  deep  and  wide- 
spread had  been  the  sympathy  in  her  behalf,  that  prep- 
arations had  already  been  extensively  made  to  replace 
by  new  buildings  those  that  had  been  destroyed  by  the 
late  fire.  But  now  these  preparations  were  rendered 
unnecessary  ;  yet  her  gratitude  to  her  numerous  friends 
was  none  the  less,  though  their  aid  was  not  needed. 

Divested  as  Mrs.  Le  Clair  had  lately  been  of  every 
kind  of  movable  property,  there  was  but  little  labor 
and  preparation  required  to  get  her  ready  to  depart 
with  her  aunt,  the  Lady  H.,  on  her  journey.  At  the  sug- 
gestion of  that  lady,  deeds  were  made  out,  conveying 
the  farm  to  Mr.  Brown,  Mr.  Jones,  and  their  married  son 
and  daughter,  it  being  to  be  divided  among  the  three, 
as  a  memorial  of  her  gratitude  to  them  for  their  atten- 
tions to  her,  and  also  in  remembrance  of  the  connections 
chat  subsisted  between  them  and  her  first  husband,  Cap- 
tain Walters.  All  this  done,  they  were  read}'  for  their 
departure  ;  for  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  as  well  as  Lady  H.,  was 
anxious  to  leave,  that  they  might  aflford  some  consola- 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


301 


tioii  to  Lillian  and  her  husband  in  thoir  sad  condition. 
Before  bidding-  a  final  adieu,  however,  they  made  anotluM* 
surv(;y  of  the  place  and  its  surrounding's,  where  Mrs.  Le 
Clair  had  spent  ho  many  happy  days,  and  where  she  had 
endured  so  many  sorrows.  They  lingered  long  at  the 
graves  of  those  who,  each  in  their  time,  had  been  the 
beloved  idols  of  her  heart,  and  beside  whom  it  had  been 
her  wish  and  expectation  that  she  might  one  day  be  laid. 
On  leaving  the  justly  revered  spot,  she  plucked  a  few 
"wild-flowers,  the  lingering  relics  of  departing  summer, 
placing  them  between  the  leaves  of  her  Pocket-Bible. 

The  state  of  things,  as  we  have  revealed  them  to  the 
reader,  was  a  perfect  enigma  to  Mrs.  Jones  and  Mrs. 
Brown.  They  were  involved  in  a  perplexing  maze,  on 
learning  the  contents  of  Lillian's  letter,  in  which  she 
mentioned  the  reduction  of  Hargreaves  to  the  ranks, 
and  all  the  painful  circumstances  connected  with  that 
event.  These,  to  their  minds,  were  a  justification  of 
their  fears  and  prognostications,  as  well  as  proofs  of 
the  short-sightedness  of  both  mother  and  daughter — of 
the  one,  in  marrying  a  sergeant ;  and  of  the  other,  in 
allowing  her  daughter  to  take  so  imprudent  a  step. 
They  were  also,  in  their  estimation,  a  refutation  of  the 
wild  predictions  of  the  old  Indian  witch.  But  then, 
something  might  come  to  pass  yet  to  bring  about  the 
fulfilment  of  what  the  old  Indian  said  about  Lillian,  from 
the  unexpected  change  that  had  taken  place  in  the  cir- 
cumstances of  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  With  many  hopes,  fears, 
and  doubts  in  regard  to  Lillian  and  her  husband,  these 
two  gossips  were  forced  to  leave  things  as  perplexed  as 
they  found  them,  for  they  were  not,  like  the  old  Indian, 
gifted  with  second-sight. 


302 


THE    BLACK    I'UANTOM;     OR, 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 


WniLR  Mrs.  Le  Clair  and  Lady  H.  are  on  their  event- 
ful journey,  driven  by  the  faithful  and  long-tried  Thomas, 
we  will  ag-ain  return,  and  learn  how  tliing^s  are  progress- 
ing  in  Montreal,  with  George  Hargreaves  and  his  beau- 
tiful and  affectionate,  but  now  suffering  wife.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  we  left  Hargreaves  in  his  cell,  under 
sentence  to  be  flogged  on  the  following  Monday  morn- 
ing ;  and  Lillian,  weighed  down  in  spirit  by  her  heavy 
sorrow,  in  the  retirement  of  her  own  room.  We  have 
already  mentioned,  that  at  tlie  time  to  which  our  narra- 
tive now  refers,  Montreal  was  only  a  military  outpost  of 
Quebec.  Of  course,  the  general  in  command  of  the 
military  district  resided  in  Quebec,  the  headquarters  of 
the  district.  The  general,  as  we  have  already  stated, 
was  now  in  Montreal  transacting  important  official  busi- 
ness connected  with  his  department,  and  had  affixed  his 
signature  to  the  finding  of  the  court-martial  in  the  case 
of  Hargreaves.  It  was  now  Sunday  evening,  and  all 
the  officials  of  the  military  department  were  busy,  as 
there  had  just  arrived  from  England  a  heavy  mail.  Such 
an  event,  at  that  time,  was  one  of  very  great  import- 
ance ;  it  was  necessary  for  every  one  to  be  at  his  post, 
the  general  no  less  than  his  subordinates.  In  turning 
over  the  papers  and  letters  addressed  to  himself,  he 
found  one  marked  special,  which  induced  him  to  pay  his 


WOMAN  S     ENDURANCE. 


303 


first  attention  to  tliat.  This  packaj^o  contained  sevnal 
(locunients,  apparently  of  very  ^reat  importance!,  aw  tlicy 
were  sij^-ncd  by  the  conwnandcr-in-ehij.'f,  at  the  IIorKe- 
Giiards,  London,  with  the  Heals  of  that  officer  affixed 
thereto.  Turning  the  docunjents  over  one  by  one,  he 
examined  them  with  {^reat  care,  becoming,  as  he  read, 
more  and  more  deeply  excited  by  their  contents  ;  as  if 
they  contained  information  of  apj)alling  import.  Scru- 
tinizing again  the  seals  and  signature,  and  reperusing 
the  documents  with  increasing  agitation,  he  arose  from 
his  seat,  and  calling  the  orderly,  wht)  was  waiting  his 
connnands  at  the  door,  asked  Inni  if  he  knew  a  soldier 
of  the  name  of  George  Uargreaves, 

"  Yes,  siv,"  was  the  response  ;  "  it  is  he  who  is  sen- 
tenced to  be  flogged  to-morrow  morning." 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  the  general.  "  That  was  my  im- 
pression, as  I  have  a  faint  recollection  of  signing  the 
finding  of  the  court,"  his  words  half-choking  him. 

He  returned  to  his  desk  to  exannne  the  documents 
still  more  closely,  but  only  became  more  bewildered 
than  ever.  He  walked  the  room  back  and  forth,  in  deep 
thought,  muttering  to  himself  the  while,  with  now  and 
then  a  horrid  oath,  uttered  with  a  sharp,  hissing  vehe- 
mence, while  his  face  was  crimsoned  by  passion.  He 
seemed  pondering  some  movement,  and  undecided  what 
course  to  adopt ;  for  he  told  the  orderly  to  call  a  ser- 
geant and  a  file  of  men,  and  then,  with  much  confusion 
in  his  words  and  manner,  countermanded  the  order. 
Then  giving  him  the  necessary  written  notice  to  the 
officer  of  the  day,  he  bade  hijji  go  to  the  guard-house 
and  bring  the  prisoner  Hargreaves  before  him.  But 
he  had  no  sooner  given  this  order,  than  he  demanded  it 


304 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


l):ick,  and  in  a  pusrtioii  tore  it  up,  and  tlirovv  tlic  frapj- 
iMciits  oti  tin*  Hoor.  At  last,  calling  for  a  Kcr^eant  and 
a  lllc  of  mm,  and  puitin^  on  liis  military  ovcrc()iit,  In; 
commanded  tliom  to  lead  the  way  to  the  ^uard-houae. 
On  their  arrival  at  that  place,  they  found  tlu?  sentiin-l 
walking;'  his  silent  and  solitary  beat.  He  called  out, 
"Who  comes  there?"  The  response  to  which  was, 
"  Rounds  ;"  when  the  furth(;r  demand  was  made,  "  What 
Rounds?"  to  which  the  reply  was,  "Grand  Rounds.'' 
The  order  was  now  given,  "Advance,  Grand  Round.s, 
and  give  the  countersign."  This  was  accordingly  done, 
while  the  startling  information  was  given  that  the  gen- 
eral was  in  waiting,  to  be  admitted  to  the  guard-house. 
On  the  reception  of  this  news,  the  sentinel  called  out  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  "  Guards,  turn  out  to  receive  the 
General."  Prompt  as  well  as  exact  in  all  their  move- 
ments, the  guard  was  soon  in  line  in  front  of  the  guard- 
house, with  their  arms  brought  to  the  position  of  salute, 
a  necessary  manoeuvre  to  do  honor  to  a  superior  officer. 
The  general  was  promptly  introduced  into  the  guard- 
house by  the  officer  of  the  day,  with  his  sword  brought 
to  the  salute.  It  may  be  supposed  that  some  trepida- 
tion would  be  manifested  by  the  guards,  at  this  unex- 
pected visit  of  the  general,  at  so  unseasonable  an  li<nir 
of  the  night.  But  they  were  still  more  astonished  when 
he  gave  the  order  to  bring  the  prisoner  Hargreaves  from 
his  cell.  The  huge  key  was  soon  turned  in  the  lock,  and 
the  strongly-barred  door  thrown  open.  The  poor  man- 
acled prisoner  was  brought  forth,  and  he  now  stood  be- 
fore the  general.  There  was  no  tremor  in  his  well-built 
and  firmly-knit  frame,  nor  any  thing  like  conscious  guilt 
iu  his  manly  countenance.     But  it  was  noticed  by  the 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


305 


iiit  and 
•ojit,  In; 
l-liouac. 
lentiiu'l 
cd   out, 
h    was, 
"  Wliat 
loiituls." 
Hounds, 
ly  done, 
tlie  gon- 
d-house. 
d  out  at 
eive  tlie 
ir  move- 
3  guard- 
t"  salute, 
■  officer. 
B  guard- 
brought 
trepida- 
is  unex- 
II n  hour 
od  when 
ves  from 
ock,  and 
oor  man- 
tood  be- 
vell-built 
yu8  guilt 
d  by  the 


lookers-on  that  the  general  was  ill  at  ease,  as  he  gave 
the  command  to  take  tin;  tetters  from  th<'  prisoner.  Then 
writing  an  order  for  the  release  of  Ilargreaves,  and 
signing  it  with  his  own  name,  as  military  commander 
of  the  district,  he  handed  it  to  the  oilicur  of  the  guard. 
What  greatly  increased  the  amazement  of  all  pres<!nt, 
was  that  the  general,  on  leaving,  t(Jok  Ilargreaves  with 
him,  and  treated  him  with  respect. 

After  the  departure  of  the  general  and  IIargreav(>8, 
with  the  sergeant  and  file  of  men  leading  the  way  in  the 
dark,  the  minds  of  the  officers,  non-commissioned  officers, 
and  the  privates  on  guard,  were  fertile  in  conjectures  as 
to  what  all  this  could  niean. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  when  all  were  await- 
ing the  performance  of  what  was  likely  to  prove  a 
tragedy — the  soldiers  pained  at  the  infliction  of  such  a 
punishment  on  one  of  their  comrades — the  strange  pro- 
ceedings of  the  previous  night  were  noised  abroad. 
Coming  to  the  ears  of  the  officers  who  had  been  the 
guilty  actors  in  the  dastardly  and  iniquitous  plot,  their 
guilty  souls  quailed  within  them,  for  they  saw  nothing 
before  them  but  exposure,  disgrace,  and  ruin.  But  we 
must  now  follow  the  general  to  his  own  rooms.  We 
would  here  say  that  Hargreaves  himself  had  been  taken 
by  surprise.  Without  a  hope,  as  he  was,  of  escaping 
the  infliction  of  the  threatened  punishment,  all  the  pre- 
parictions  for  carrying  out  his  sentence  having  been 
made,  what,  he  thought,  could  be  the  purport  of  this 
strange  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  general  ?  It  was 
utterly  beyond  his  power  to  divine.  He  would  wait  pa- 
tiently the  solution  of  the  enigma. 

On  their  arrival  at  the  general's  office,  there  was  no 


r 


306 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


/ 


OHO  pi'cseDt  but  his  private  secretary.  Hargreaves  hav- 
ing- been  requested  to  take  a  seat,  the  general  himself 
to(jk  another  close  at  his  side.  He  asked  Hargreaves 
a  number  of  questions  about  his  family,  which  lie 
promptly  and  candidly  answered.  He  informed  the 
general,  in  this  conversation,  that  he  was  a  younger 
member  of  an  aristociatic  family  in  the  south  of  Eng- 
land, which  had  been  reduced  to  comparative  poverty  by 
a  long  course  of  litigation  ;  and,  as  his  own  personal 
interests  had  suffered  in  the  disaster  which  had  over- 
taken his  family,  he  resolved  to  enlist  as  a  private  sol- 
dier, with  the  hope  that  he  might,  by  his  own  talents, 
raise  himself  to  distinction,  if  not  to  fortune.  He  then 
gave  a  detailed  statement  of  his  meeting  with  Lillian, 
of  his  marriage,  their  arrival  in  Montreal,  and  all  the 
painful  incidents  which  finally  resulted  in  the  mock 
trial,  his  sentence,  and  his  incarceration,  until  his  lib- 
eration that  night  by  the  general  himself.  This  state- 
ment was  ixiven  with  such  an  honest  and  fearless  bold- 
ncss,  that  the  general  seemed  agitated  during  its  delivery, 
and  self-condemnation  was  visible  in  his  countenance. 
The  general  then  informed  Hargreaves  that  his  two  se- 
nior brothers  were  dead  ;  that  the  suit  in  the  court  of 
chancery  had  come  to  a  close,  and  had  been  decided  in 
his  favor  ;  that  he  was  the  rightful  heir-at-law  to  all 
the  family  estates,  as  well  as  to  the  title  ;  and  that  he 
was  now  Sir  George  Hargreaves.  Tiie  general  then 
presented  him  with  an  honorable  discharge  from  the 
British  army  ;  and  moreover  enclosed  with  the  neces- 
sary legal  documents  which  he  handed  him,  an  order  for 
one  thousand  pounds  sterling,  to  be  paid  him  out  of  the 
military  chest.     These  documents  being  delivered  into 


-.-J Vv 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


307 


Hargreave's  hiinds,  he  gave  tlie  general  a  receipt  for 
the  same. 

At  tlie  C(.nclusioii  of  the  matters  they  had  had  in  hand 
— the  general  still  exhibiting  extreme  nervousness,  while 
Hargreaves,  if  possible,  showed  a  higher  degree  of  in- 
trepid boldness,  the  latter  saiu — 

"  Then  it  appears,  general,  that  I  do  not  owe  any 
thing  to  your  oflQcial  interference  on  my  behalf  as  a  com- 
mon soldier,  falsely  charged  with  crime — as  you  must 
have  known,  if  you  had  investigated  the  case — unjustly 
tried,  and  cruelly  sentenced  to  be  flogged.  No,  it  is  to 
Sir  George  Hargreaves  to  whom  you  have  been  so  very 
attentive.  Providence  interfered  in  my  behalf ;  you 
would  never  have  done  so.  The  poor,  condemned,  suf- 
fering private  soldier,  might  have  died  under  the  inflic- 
tions of  tlie  lash,  and  you,  regardless  of  his  case,  of  the 
justice  or  injustice  of  his  sentence,  would  have  stood 
aloof  from  the  suffering  wretch — if  by  so  doing  you 
could  have  kept  or  won  abettors  of  the  intrigues  by 
which  3'ou  have  been  raised,  step  by  step,  over  the  heads 
of  mon?  deserving  men.  But  ncjw,  general,  you  have 
taken  tlie  final  step,  Tiiere  is  not  a  man,  private  or  ot- 
ficial,  in  all  the  command  now  in  the  barracks,  who  is 
not  fully  acquainted  with  your  antecedents,  and  all  your 
tyrannical  and  corrupt  course.  Owing  to  their  subor- 
dinate position,  however,  they  have  been  impotent  to  re- 
sist your  tyranny,  or  to  call  in  question  any  of  your  cor- 
rupt practices.  But  now,  by  your  agency,  though  not 
through  any  good  feeling  or  designed  kindness  on  your 
part,  I  am  put  in  possession  of  the  power,  and  be  as- 
sured, general,  that  1  have  the  will,  to  avenge  the  moral 
worth  you  have  so  long  trampled  upon,  and  the  inno* 


308 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


cence  you  have  insulted  and  injured,  in  the  course  of 
your  official  govcu-nment.  And  believe  me,  general,  that 
I  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  bring  you  to  justice, 
by  having  a  thorough  official  investigation  into  all  your 
actions." 

With  this  fearless  declaration  of  his  purposes,  inspired 
by  the  recollection  of  the  wrongs  he  himself  had  endured, 
Ilargrcaves  left  the  presence  of  General  H.,  and  made 
his  way  to  his  beloved  Lillian,  who  had  spent  the  most 
of  the  night  up(m  her  knees,  asking  her  heavenly  Father 
to  grant  that  patience  and  endurance  for  her  beloved 
and  suffering  husband  which,  in  all  probability,  he  would 
so  much  need  on  the  morrow. 

But  Lillian  had  had  other  and  severe  sorrow  to  endure 
besides  that  on  account  of  her  husband,  for  the  past 
three  days  ;  for  she  had  received  her  mother's  letter, 
wherein  she  detailed  the  disaster  which  had  befallen  her 
in  the  destruction  of  her  property  by  fire.  This  letter 
had  passed  on  the  road  the  one  she  had  sent  to  her 
mother  with  an  account  of  her  own  sorrows.  On  reading 
her  mother's  letter,  the  poor  girl,  as  may  be  supposed, 
was  deeply  affected  ;  for  she  now  felt  more  keenly  than 
ever  that  she  was  a  stranger  among  strangers,  with  no 
one  to  whom  she  could  go  for  comfort  or  consolation,  or 
on  whom  she  could  lean  for  support,  while  her  husband 
was  a  prisoner,  awaiting  a  severe  and  degrading  punisl> 
ment.  Was  it  possible  for  a  human  being  to  descend 
lower  in  the  scale  of  adversitv?  Years  seemed  to  have 
been  added  to  her  age,  as  the  direct  result  of  the  suffer- 
ings she  had  undergone.  Her  heart  was  destined  to 
suffer  still  another  pang  ;  for  a  little  after  midnight  a 
number  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment  passed  her  dwell' 


woman's  p^ndurance. 


309 


course  of 
leral,  that 
o  justice, 
o  all  youi' 

g,  inspired 
d  endured, 
and  made 
;  the  most 
inly  Father 
er  beloved 
^,  he  would 

V  to  endure 
n'  the  past 
ler's  letter, 
befallen  her 
This  letter 
sent  to  her 
On  reading 
supposed, 
jkeenly  than 
|n's,  with  no 
isolation,  or 
ler  husband 
[ling  punisl> 
to  descend 
ned  to  have 
If  the  suffer- 
destined  to 
midnight  a 
id  her  dwell- 


ing, singing  their  ribald  songs,  and  giving  vent  to  their 
feelings  in  Hts  of  boisterous  laughter.  Whether  this 
was  merely  one  of  their  thoughtless  drunken  frolics,  or 
intended  as  an  insult  to  lier  already  deeply  lacerated 
feelings,  she  knew  not. 

When  Hargreaves  arrived  at  his  own  quarters,  he 
could  scarcely  realize  the  sudden  cljange  in  his  circum- 
stances, and  that  it  was  not,  after  all,  a  dream.  What, 
then,  must  have  been  the  impression  upon  the  mind  of 
Lillian,  receiving  in  the  depth  of  her  sufferings  so  won- 
derful a  revelation  ?  She  at  first  supposed  that  the  suf- 
ferings of  her  husband  had  made  him  frantic,  and  that  in 
his  madness  he  had  overpowered  his  keepers  and  made 
his  escape  ;  and  that,  under  the  influence  of  a  bewil- 
dered brain,  he  was  talking  unreasonably  of  his  dis- 
charge, his  sudden  possession  of  great  wealth,  his  prop- 
erty, and  of  his  accession  to  the  title  of  his  ancestors. 
In  truth,  Lillian's  alarm  greatly  diminished  her  joy  at 
thus  unexpectedly  seeing  her  husband  ;  and  it  was  only 
after  her  collected  thoughts  enabled  her  to  give  a  close 
and  critical  scrutiu}^  to  all  the  documents  placed  in  the 
hands  of  her  husband  by  General  H,,  that  she  could  be 
fully  persuaded  that  there  was  indeed  a  reality  in  the 
strange  and  romantic  narrative  just  related  by  her  hus- 
band. But" when  the  truth  was  fullv  broujxht  home  to 
her  mind,  and  she  realized  that  there  could  be  no  room 
for  doubt,  her  joy  was  unbounded  She  told  her  hus- 
band that  she  had  all  along  been  impressed  with  the 
thought  that  Providence  would  in  some  way  interfere  in 
their  behalf,  and  not  allow  wicked  and  bloody-minded 
men  to  triumph  in  their  wanton  cruelty  and  villainy. 
After  recovering  somewhat  from  the  first  feelings  of  joy 


310 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


at  their  deliverance  from  such  dreadful  evils,  present 
and  future,  Lillian  handed  to  her  husband  the  letter  she 
had  received  from  her  mother.  Here  was  intelligence 
which,  under  other  circmnstances,  would  have  filled 
him,  as  it  had  Lillian,  with  dismay ;  but  as  it  was,  it 
only  required  a  moment  for  Hargreaves'  kind  and  tender 
heart  to  propose  their  immedicte  departure?,  to  carry  to 
their  mother  the  j^lad  tidings  of  the  change  in  their  cir- 
cumstances, to  alleviate  the  heavy  sorrow  pressing  upon 
her.  Things  were  soon  put  in  train  for  their  journey, 
for  a  soldier's  outfit  is  but  light,  and  his  encumbrances 
few  at  most ;  and  in  this  case  their  afl'ection  gave  ac- 
tivity and  speed  to  all  their  movements.  They  were 
soon  on  their  western  route,  with  their  rude,  homely-built 
vehicle,  but  with  a  splendid  span  of  horses,  bought  by 
Hargreaves  for  the  purpose. 


woman's  endurance. 


311 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

Now  that  Hargreaves  and  his  young  wife  are  started 
on  their  western  journey,  we  will  again  take  a  look  into 
the  room  of  General  H,  and  learn  something  of  his  do- 
ings and  sufferings.     After  Hargreaves   had  left  him 
writhing  under  the  scathing  that  he  had  received  from' 
the  released  prisoner,  he  paced  the  room  in  great  per- 
turbation of  spirit,  conscious  as  he  was  that  the  declara- 
tions of  Hargreaves  were  all  too  true.     His  thoughts  at 
ength  becoming  somewhat  settled,  he  took  his  seat  at 
bis  desk,  for  the  purpose  of  further  investigatii.cr  the 
matters  brought  to  his  notice  by  the  dispatches  he  had 
received  by  the  last  mail  from  England.     As  he  turned 
over  one  paper  after  another,  he  found  a  letter  from  the 
steward  of  his  own  father's  estate.     He  eagerly  opened 
It,  and  read  its  contents.     This  letter  contained  the  as- 
toundmg  news  that  his  elder  brother  had  lost  his  life 
by  the  upsetting  of  his  carriage,  and  his  sister,  who  was 
with  him  at  the  time,  though  still  living  when  the  letter 
was   dispatched,   was   supposed   to   be   fatally  injured 
And  then  there  was  the   further  startling  information' 
that  a  claim  had   been  set  up  to  a  great  part  of  the' 
estate  by  a  daughter  of  his  father's  deceased  brother 
It  appeared  from  this  letter,  that  some  mysterious  doin.>-s 
iiad  been  lately  brought  to  light-some  foul  dealings  on 
the  part  of  his  father,  in  connection  with  the  death  of  his 


312 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


brother  nearly  forty  years  ago.  Tlie  father  of  Gcnieral 
H.  had  supported  that  the  infant  daughter  of  his  broth(^r 
liad  ))erished  with  lier  fatlier  and  motiier,  wlien  their 
r(?sid(»nce,  by  some  mysterious  agency,  was  destroyed 
by  fire.  Now,  however,  tliat  daugiiter  liad  turned  np 
Komewhere  in  Upper  Canada,  bearing  the  name  of  L(j 
Chair,  and  it  was  beli(.'ved  she  was  on  her  way  to  Eng- 
bind,  to  cLaim  in  her  proper  person  tlie  restitution  of  her 
fatlier's  property.  His  father,  under  the  influence  of 
remorse  of  conscience,  and  fearful  of  consequences,  had 
yielded  his  claim  to  the  property,  and  it  was  now  in  the 
hands  of  the  attorney  of  the  claimant. 

Here  we  might  as  well  relieve  our  narrative  of  a  little 
of  its  obscurity,  by  informing  the  reader  that  General 
II.  is  the  same  person  who,  more  than  twenty  years  be- 
fore, joined,  as  lieutenant,  the  regiment  to  which  Cap- 
tain Walters  then  belonixed  ;  and  that  lieutenant  H.  and 
Mrs.  Walters  are  first  cousins,  being  own  brothers'  chil- 
dren. 

The  startling  revelations  of  the  above  letter  brought 
vividlv  to  the  mind  of  General  H.  the  statements  of 
Hargreaves  ;  for  the  letter  gave  the  former  and  present 
name  of  the  claimant  of  his  father's  estate.  So  that  he 
saw  clearly  she  could  be  no  other  than  Lillian's  mother. 
He  now  saw  the  wrong  he  had  done  to  his  own  cousin, 
when  Mrs.  Walters,  and  to  her  husband.  Captain  Wal- 
ters, and  the  gross  injustice  he  had,  through  his  guilty 
indifference,  been  the  means  of  doing  the  innocent  daugh- 
ter of  his  cousin,  and  especially  her  husband,  Hargreaves. 
These  things  were  no  light  burden  upon  his  mind.  But 
superadded  to  all  this,  his  whole  life  had  been  one  con- 
tinued series  of  wrong-doing.    Like  his  father,  he  was 


woman's   endurance. 


313 


General 
is  brother 
hen  their 
destroyed 
nrned  np 
nic  of  Le 
,y  to  Eng- 
ion  of  hoA' 
fluence  of 
nices,  liad 
low  in  tiio 

of  a  little 
,t  General 

years  be- 
hich  Cap- 
mt  H.  and 
tliers'  chil- 

iv  brought 
[cnients  of 
nd  present 
So  that  he 
n's  mother, 
wn  cousin, 
ptain  Wal- 
i  his  guilty 
;ent  daugh- 
[argrcaves, 
mind.  But 
!n  one  con- 
ler,  he  was 


the  slave  of  every  vic«;.  Now  lio  could  take  no  praise 
to  himself  for  the  act  by  which  he  liberated  llargreaves, 
for  his  punishment  would  modt  certainly  have  takci! 
place  but  for  the  timely  arrival  of  the  English  mail 

Now  what  sh.mid   tiiis  wretched,  guilty  man   do   to 
avoid  exposure,  and  dismissal   from   the   British   army 
with  disgrace,  or,  it  might  be,  a  fate  even  worse  than 
that?     He  determined  to  anticipate  the  awards  of  jus- 
tice and  the  approaching  storm  of  execration  which  he 
saw  looming  up  in  the  distance,  by  adopting  the  remedy 
of  the  desperate   and  despairing.     On   retiring   to   his 
room  at  night,  for  the  purpose  of  repose  it  was 'thought, 
it  was  observed  that  he  carried  with  him  a  bottle,  fro.n 
which,  on  entering  his  room,  he  took  a  draught.     On  the 
following  morning  he  was  found  dead  in  his  bed,  and  tlie 
report  was  circulated  that  he  had  died  of  a  fit'  of  apo- 
plexy.    The  public  prints,  in  noticing  his  death,  extolled 
him  as  an  intrepid  soldier,  and  a  faithful  and  efficient 
servant  of  his  sovereign.     His  loss,  they  said,  was  great, 
and  his  place  could  not  be  supplied  by  his  equal.     In  all' 
the   walks  of  life,   filling  every  office   and   performing 
every  duty,  as  a  man,  a  soldier,  and  a  Christian,  he  was 
held  up  as  a  pattern  and  example  worthy  the  imitatior 
of  all. 


/ 


314 


THFJ    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OH, 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 


We  have  already  informed  the  reader  that  the  letter 
written  by  Mrs.  Le  Clair  to  Lillian,  and  the  one  written 
by  Lillian  to  her  mother,  passed  each  other  on  the  road. 
It  so  happened  that  each  received  her  letter  on  the  same 
day.  It  occupied  both  about  the  same  length  of  time  in 
making  preparations  for  their  journey.  Each,  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  was  uninformed  as  to  the  changed 
circumstances  of  the  other.  Thus,  Lillian  and  her  hus- 
band supposed  they  would  find  their  mother  domiciled 
in  the  house  of  some  friend,  near  her  late  residence,  and 
involved  in  deep  distress,  mourning  over  the  loss  of  her 
property.  Mrs.  Le  Clair  and  her  aunt,  Lady  H.,  were 
equally  certain  that  they  were  going  down  to  Mon- 
treal to  soothe  the  sorrows  and  assuage  the  grief  of  Lil- 
lian, as  well  as  to  convey  some  comfort  and  consolation 
to  the  lacerated  and  disgraced  George  Hargreaves. 

The  reader  may  perhaps  recollect  that  when  Captain 
and  Mrs.  Walters,  and  their  party,  were  on  their  journey 
to  their  new  home  in  Upper  Canada,  they  remained  for 
a  few  days  at  a  house  on  the  margin  of  a  river,  about 
half-way  between  Montreal  and  the  place  of  their  desti- 
nation, and  where  several  French  Canadian  families  re- 
sided. At  the  time  of  which  we  are  now  writing,  con- 
siderably more  than  twenty  years  had  come  and  gone 
since  this  place  was  first  brought  under  our  observatioa 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


315 


he  letter 
B  written 
the  road, 
the  same 
^f  time  in 
1,  it  must 
!  changed 
d  lier  hus- 
domiciled 
^ience,  and 
oas  of  her 
y  H.,  were 
[I  to  Mon- 

rief  of  Lil- 
;onsolation 

javes. 
311  Captain 
eir  journey 
mained  for 
iver,  about 
their  desti- 
families  re- 
■riting,  con- 
and  gone 
)bservation. 


The  general  features  of  tlie  locality,  however,  are  nearly 
the  same  ;  a  small  extent,  only,  of  the  rich  soil  is  culti- 
vated, and  that  surrouiidfsd  by  the  dense,  primitive 
woods.  But  the  social  condition  of  the  people  has,  since 
the  period  to  which  we  refer,  greatly  changed.  Of  the 
few  families  then  residing  here,  some  of  their  members, 
who  were  past  the  middle  age,  have  since  filled  up  the 
measure  of  their  days,  and  stepped  from  the  stage  of 
life  ;  and  another  generation  has  sprung  up  to  hale 
and  hearty  young  manhood  and  womanhood,  to  supply 
their  places.  Those  with  whom  we  formed  an  acquaint- 
ance then — the  busy,  active  members  of  these  families — 
have  advanced  many  stages  in  the  march  of  life.  It  so 
happened  that,  starting  from  the  adverse  points  of  Mon- 
treal and  Upper  Canada,  both  parties  met  at  this  place, 
and  that  each  was  ignorant  of  the  near  proximity  of  the 
other.  The  reader  may  therefore  imagine  the  feelings 
of  each,  at  the  first  moment  of  their  mutual  recognition, 
in  such  an  out-of-the-way  place,  and  under  such  remark- 
able circumstances.  The  first  to  arrive  at  this  place 
was  George  Hargreaves  and  his  wife  Lillian  ;  and  in 
about  two  hours  after  them,  Mrs.  Le  Clair  and  her  newly 
found  aunt.  Lady  H.,  in  her  carriage  driven  by  her  ser- 
vant-man in  liver3^  This  last  party  had  been  ferried 
over  the  river  in  the  flat-bottomed  boat,  and  the  first  to 
step  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  in  full  view  of  the  front  of 
the  house,  were  the  two  ladies. 

The  attention  of  every  member  of  the  French  families 
was  soon  directed  towards  the  new-comers,  and  among  the 
rest,  that  of  Lillian  and  her  husband,  who  were  observ- 
ing them  from  the  front-room  window.  No  sooner  did 
Lillian  get  a  glimpse  of  the  persons  of  the  approaching 


310 


TIIK     BLACK     phantom;     OR, 


ladioH,  tliaii  slio  passionately  exclaiiiicd,  claspin<>:  her 
hands,  and  pressing-  tliein  convidsively  against  her  lore- 
head — 

"Can  it  be  possibh' — can  tliat  be  my  rncjther  !" 
Hari;reaves  noticed  tlie  violent  emotion  of  Lillian,  but 
n-as  at  a  loss  as  to  the  caTise  of  her  excitement  ;  while 
Lillian,  under  the  influence  of  her  surprise,  and  oblivious 
of  Jill  around  her,  darted  from  the  room,  and  made  her 
way  towards  the  approaching  strangers.  Ignorant  of 
the  favorable  change  in  Hargreaves'  affairs,  and  meet- 
ing Lillian  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly,  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
lost  her  self-control,  and  in  a  state  of  alarm  endeavored 
to  avoid  the  impetuous  advances  of  Lillian,  wild  and 
frantic  with  delight.  Recovering  her  self-possession, 
however,  in  an  instant  they  were  locked  in  each  other's 
arms.  With  a  vehement  but  half-choked  utterance,  Lil- 
lian cried  out — 

"  My  mother  I  my  mother  !     Oh,  my  mother  !" 
Mrs.  Le  Clair,  with  less  apparent  fervor,  but  still  with 
strons:  inward  emotion,  exclaimed — 

"  My  Lillian  !  my  own  darling  daughter  I" 
They  hung  long  in  each  other's  embrace,  and  wept 
tears  of  joy.  After  the  subsidence  of  the  first  gush  of 
their  affectionate  feelings,  caused  by  this  transcendently 
delightful  surprise,  it  was  with  extreme  difficulty  that 
each  could  convince  the  other  of  the  reality  of  the  as- 
tounding train  of  circumstances  that  had  reversed  so 
completely  and  happily  all  they  had  believed  they  would 
have  to  encounter  in  the  revelations  of  the  future.  At 
first,  this  new  state  of  things  broke  upon  their  minds  dimly 
and  vaguely,  like  the  glimmer  of  dawn  upon  our  half 
awakened  vision.     After  a  full  explanation  on  each  side, 


\V  O  M  A N  S     J'.  N  1 )  U  It  A  N  C  !•:. 


?A7 


and  a  clour  realization  by  all  of  the  true  Ktiit<,'  of  tliin,Q,'s, 
tlicy  marvL'llod  cxcccdinj^'ly  at  the  cours(^  of  cv^Mits,  anl 


)d  th 


d< 


)Ut 


Jititndc    for  tlio   h 


t'X))rossL'u  iMcir  (icvoui   g-ruiiindc    lor  in(^    Ma|)|)in('ss 
which  tlujy  had  n^sulted.     Lady  11.  exclainieil   with  vc- 
luMiicncc — 

"Tiii.s  moment,  this  hjjppy  niifoldini;'  of  thinp,"s,  is  an 
Jimplo  r(!ward  for  all  the  time;  I  have  waited,  \\iv  toil  I 
have  endured,  and  the  mean.s  I  have  expcmded  ;  for  it  is 
a  consummation,  in  part,  of  my  utmost  and  best  wisiujs, 
1  now  feid  that  I  can  say  with  more  assurance  than 
ever,  'Jehovah  reij^neth,  let  the  earth  rejoice.'" 

The  utterance  of  tlx^se  words,  with  the  manner  in 
which  the}''  were  spoken  by  Lady  H.,  caused  ALrs.  Le 
Clair  to  cover  her  face  with  her  handkcu'chief,  and  sob 
aloud,  so  overcome  was  she  by  her  emotions 

When  the  members  of  this  now  happy  <^roup  came  to 
understand  their  several  wishes  and  purposes,  it  was 
found  that  the  ruling  desire  of  all  of  them  was  to  visit 
Europe  at  as  early  a  period  as  possible. 

Lillian  and  Harg'reaves,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Le 
Clair  and  Lady  H.,  with  her  man-servant,  the  trusty 
Thomas,  had  now  to  retrace  their  steps  to  Montreal. 
But,  before  starting  from  this  place,  th<,'y  concluded  tliat, 
as  the  party  was  small  and  the  carriage  of  Lady  H.  was 
a  roomy  one,  thc^y  would  dispose  of  the  rude  vehicle 
brought  by  Ilargreaves  from  Montreal,  and  placing  the 
horses  in  one  team,  drive  down  four-in-hand.  This  j>laii 
was  soon  adjusted,  and  all  mad(»  ready  for  dcitarture. 
So  far  as  the  party  themselves  were  concerned,  the  jour- 
ney could  not  be  otherwise  than  an  agreeable  one.  But, 
as  it  was  getting  late  in  the  fall,  and  the  roads  were  not 
in  good  condition,  they  had  to  make  the  best  of  their 


318 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM;    OR, 


timo  by  piittiiij^  their  liorses  on  their  mettle.  Overcoin- 
iiio;  all  (liffii.Miities,  they  at  length  reached  Montreal  in 
safety.  Arrivinj^  just  in  time;  to  taktj  advantage  of"  the 
Hailin;^  of  a  ji^overnrnent  ship  that  was  then  on  the  point 
of  leavini^  for  Europe,  the  horses  and  carriage  were 
soon  sold,  all  arran^^einents  made,  and  the  party  quickly 
stepped  on  hoard,  when  the  anchor  was  raised,  and  they 
were  soon  on  their  long  and  perilous  journey.  Starting 
on  their  voyage  at  so  late  a  season  of  the  year,  the  pas- 
sage must  have  been  far  from  being  a  pleasant  one.  On 
descending  the  noble  river  St.  Lawrence,  they  had  a  fine 
southwest  breeze  in  their  favor,  which  carri(Ml  them  far 
out  on  their  way,  and  soon  gave  them  plenty  of  sea- 
room. 

Previous  to  leaving  Montreal,  Mrs.  Le  Clair  wrote, 
for  the  infijrmation  of  her  friends,  a  clear  statement  of 
events  in  regard  to  herself,  since  she  left  Sweet-brier 
Gnive.  But  she  dwelt  more  especially  upon  the  remark- 
able circumstances  connected  with  the  changed  position 
and  prospects  of  Hargreaves  and  Lillian.  Nor  did  she 
neglect  to  mention  Hargreaves'  newly  acquired  title, 
that  he  was  now  Sir  George  Hargreaves  ;  that  he  had 
inherited  this  title,  and  all  the  estate,  which  had  been 
borne  and  posses- ed  by  men  of  whom  honorable  mention 
was  made  in  liistory  ;  and  that  he  was  then  on  the  eve 
of  his  departure  for  England,  for  the  purpose  of  assum- 
ing his  rightful  possessions.  She  concluded  by  stating 
that  it  was  her  intention  to  write  to  them  again  on  lier 
arrival  in  England,  or  as  soon  after  as  circumstances 
would  allow.  For,  as  she  said,  she  felt  a  very  strong 
attachment  for  the  place  and  people,  where  and  among 
whom  she  had  spent  so  many  years  of  her  life. 


woman's  endurancp:. 


319 


Ov(.'rc(*in- 
(iitrt'iil  in 

^C  of    tln! 

the  point 
ajre  wore 
y  quickly 
and  they 
Starting 
•,  the  pas- 
one.    On 
had  a  fine 
them  I'ar 
:y  of  sea- 

lir  wrote, 
itenient  of 
weet-brier 
le  remark- 
d  position 
or  did  she 
ired  title, 
at  he  had 

had  been 
le  mention 
)n  the  eve 

of  assum- 
by  stating 
^ain  on  her 
lumstances 
ery  strong 
ind  among 


On  th(!  reception  of  this  letter  by  Mrs.  Jones  and  Mrs. 
Urown,  they  carefully  read  and  seriously  pondered  its 
very  significant  contents.  For  a  while  they  were  Jit  a 
loss  what  to  say,  as  they  had  so  unreservedly  committed 
themselves  with  regard  to  Lillian  and  Ilargreaves.  Hut 
with  her  usual  boldnt^ss  and  reckless  inconsistency,  Mrs. 
Jones,  in  the  face  of  her  previously  expressed  opinion, 
said — 

"Well,  I  always  thought  that  there  nn'ght  be  some- 
thing in  what  the  old  Indian  said  about  Lillian,  and  it  is 
now  very  likely  to  be  all  fulfilled.  And  dear  knows,'^ 
said  she,  "  I  do  hope  and  trust  it  will  be  so,  for,  poor 
thing,  she  has  seen  a  mighty  sight  of  trouble  already, 
and  hc"  so  young." 

"  Well,"  said  Mrs.  Brown,  "  that  was  just  what  the 
old  woman  prophesied,  that  she  would  have  trouble 
first.  After  all,"  said  she,  "  it  is  real  queer  hov  things 
does  turn  up  sometimes." 

We  have  little  inclination  to  dwell  upon  the  rccita]  of 
the  incidents  that  occurred  on  the  passage,  as  these  are 
of  the  same  general  character,  and  are  attended  with 
discomfort  at  all  times — though  with  more,  doubtless,  at 
the  period  of  which  we  write.  But  they  passed  securely 
through  every  storm,  bravely  encountered  every  priva- 
tion and  inconvenience,  and  arrived  safely  at  the  port 
of  their  destination. 

No  time  after  theii  arrival  was  lost  by  any  one  of  the 
party,  as  each  of  them  had  important  business  to  trans- 
act. But,  as  there  are  distinct  interests  in  view,  those  of 
Mrs.  Le  Clair  and  Lady  H.  on  the  one  hand,  and  those  of 
George  Hargreaves  and  Lillian  on  the  other,  and  as  Mrs 
Le  Clair  and  Lady  IL  have  the  prior  claim  on  our  atten- 


'1 


820 


THE    BLACK     PHANTOM; 


OR, 


tion,  on   account  of  their  seiiioi-itj',  we  will  first  notice 
the  doings  of  these. 

It  was  necessary,  on  the  part  of  Lady  H.,  to  make 
the  best  of  her  way  up  to  London,  in  order  to  consult 
with  her  attorney.  We  would  here  say,  that  she  had 
been  fully  informed  as  to  the  exact  state  of  things,  from 
month  to  month,  by  this  faithful  and  trusty  man  of 
business  ;  and  she  had  also  fully  informed  him  of  all 
the  movements  of  her  niece,  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  from  the  day 
she  landed  in  North  America  until  a  si  ort  time  before 
leaving  it.  There  could  not,  therefore,  be  any  success- 
ful opposition  raised  as  to  her  identity.  But,  should 
attempts  be  made  to  dispute  her  claim  to  b(Mng  the  re- 
puted daughter  of  the  brother  of  Lord  H.,  there  were 
certain  marks  upon  her  person  which  could  be  referred 
to  as  indisputable  evidence  on  the  point,  known  as  they 
were  to  reputable  parties  Who  Iiad  been  in  the  secret. 
As  the  sequel  will  show,  nothing  of  this  kind  was  ne- 
cessary ;  for,  according  to  the  information  of  the  attor- 
ney, his  lordship  had  been  so  completely  foiled  in  all  his 
schemes  of  personal  aggrandizement,  his  children  hav- 
ing been  cut  off  one  after  another  as  by  some  mysterious 
providence,  that  he  himself  had  been  actually  appalled 
at  the  fearful  arrny  of  circumstances  against  him.  So 
that  further  mischief  on  his  part,  or  the  perpetration  of 
any  additional  villainy  b}'  him,  was  now  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. The  attorney,  as  well  as  Lady  H.,  had  been  I'ully 
persuaded  that  if  any  opposition  were  raised  against 
the  wrong-doing  of  her  brother,  Lord  H.,  in  the  first 
place,  it  might  utterly  frustrate  all  tiieir  hopes  of  ever 
putting  their  charge,  the  then  infant  Eliza,  in  possession 
of  the  property  of  her  father.     Consequently  it  was  their 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


321 


t  notice 

to  make 
consult 
s\ie  had 
gs,  from 
man  of 
m  of  all 
1  the  day 
le  before 
•  snccess- 
t,  should 
ig  the  re- 
ere  were 
referred 
n  as  they 
lie  secret, 
was  ne- 
le  attor- 
in  all  l:is 
dren  hav- 
ysterious 
appalled 
lim.     So 
;ration  of 
the  ques- 
)een  fully 
against 
the  first 
s  of  ever 
)Ssessioii 
was  their 


first  and  main  object  to  place  the  rescued  infant  in  some 
place  of  safety,  out  of  the  reach  and  beyond  the  knowl- 
edge of  her  cruel  and  avaricious  uncle.  And  in  order 
to  carry  out  this  plan  the  more  eifectually,  her  aunt, 
Lady  H.,  proposed  to  take  upon  herself  the  entire  over- 
sigiit  and  charge  of  the  infant.  For  this  purpose,  she 
proposed  to  devote  the  whole  of  her  private  fortune  to 
the  accomplishment  of  this  noble  purpose.  Well  know- 
ing that  to  attain  his  ends  and  to  accomplish  his  sin- 
ister purpose  he  would  put  conscience  and  all  princi- 
ples of  justice  aside,  they  concluded  that  it  would  be 
the  best  policy  to  stand  out  of  his  way,  and  thus  afford 
providence  full  sway  to  deal  with  this  unprincipled  man 
in  its  own  way,  and  to  bring  home  to  him  the  deserts  of 
his  crimes  in  its  own  good  time. 

As  the  tiger,  after  roaming  forest  and  plain,  and 
spreading  death  and  destruction,  is  checked  in  his  career 
by  the  decay  of  his  powers,  and  retires  to  his  lair  to 
die  ;  so  this  overbearing  monster,  who  had  revelled  in 
crime,  witli  no  human  power  to  stay  his  hand — who  nei- 
ther feared  God  nor  regarded  man — was  now  reduced 
to  alm(»st  childish  imbecility,  both  in  body  and  mind. 
But  the  vital  spark  still  aui,  ated  and  informed  in  some 
degr'jo  the  emaciated  old  man,  until  the  arrival  at  the 
old  family  mansion  of  the  attorney-at-law,  Lady  II.,  and 
Mrs.  Le  Clair.  By  direction  of  the  wretched  imbecile, 
they  were  introduced  into  his  room.  He  sat  there  more 
an  object  of  pity  and  commiseration  than  of  anger  or 
vengeance,  with  grim  despair  hol*!ing  undisputed  sway 
over  his  haggard  countenance.  Still,  he  fully  compre- 
hend(»d  the  purport  of  llirix  visit,  and  was  quite  ready 
aud  willing  to  attach  Ijis  signature  to  the  documents 


322 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;   OR, 


that  gave  full  and  undisputed  possession  of  all  the  family 
estates  to  Mrs.  Eliza  Le  Clair.  After  this  important 
transaction,  Lady  H.  caught  the  hand  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair, 
and,  with  features  expressive  of  extreme  happiness, 
said — 

"  My  dear,  this  is  the  crowning  act  that  I  have  so 
long  waited  for  ;  and  this  the  happiest  moment  of  my 
life.  These  things  will  explain  what  you  always  found 
in  my  letters  to  you,  *  What  thou  knowest  not  now,  thou 
shalt  know  hereafter  ;' "  and  pointing  at  the  pitiable, 
cowering  wreck  of  humanity  before  them,  she  said,  '  This 
is  also  a  full  attestation  of  that  other  sentiment,  '  Jeh<.- 
vah  reigneth,  let  the  earth  rejoice.'  " 

All  that  Mrs.  Le  Clair  could  do  or  say  in  answer  to 
this  was,  "  Amen,"  accompanied  by  a  gentle  pressure 
of  the  hand,  while  her  eyes  were  swimming  in  tears. 

After  this  Lord  H.  survived  only  a  few  days,  but  there 
was  crowded  into  that  short  space  of  time,  in  mental 
agony  and  remorse,  suffering  that  would  tax  the  capa- 
city of  an  angel  to  endure — giving  clear  and  strong  evi- 
dence that  the  way  and  the  end  of  transgi'essors  are 
hard. 

After  the  death  of  Lord  H.,  the  people  under  his  con- 
trol, tenants  or  otherwise,  seemed  to  breathe  more  freely  ; 
for  he  had  been  a  terror  and  a  scourge;  to  them  all, 
avaricious,  grinding,  and  oppressive.  Hence,  it  is  no 
wonder  there  was  sucli  a  universal  and  spontaneous 
outpouring  of  good  feeling,  in  the  first  grcc^tings  of  all, 
on  the  advent  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  And  she  now  found 
herself  in  a  position  congenial  to  her  feelings,  for  it  wax 
the  delight  of  her  heart  to  redress  the  wrongs,  to  re-,- 
tify  the  evils,  to  relieve  the  wants,  and  to  assuage  the 


I 


woman's  endurance. 


323 


e  family 
iportant 
je  Clair, 
ppiness, 

have  80 
t  of  my 
s  found 
jw,  thou 
pitiable, 
i,  '  This 
-,  'JeiK- 

rswer  to 
pressure 
ears. 
)ut  there 
I  mental 
le  capa- 
ong  evi- 
sors  are 

his  con- 
e  freely ; 
hem  all, 
it  is  no 
itaneoTis 
8  of  all, 
w  found 
)r  it  wa: 
3,  to  re*,- 
lage  the 


sufferings  of  those  whom  Providence  brought  under  her 
charge.  We  cannot  in  this  place  refrain  from  making 
special  note  of  an  individual  wiio  was  one;  of  the?  first, 
as  well  as  one  of  the  most  obsequious,  in  paying  his 
respects  to  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  This  was  no  other  than  the 
Rev.  James  Wilson,  with  whom  the  reader  is  already 
somewhat  acquainted,  as  the  chaplain  of  the  regiment 
to  which  Captain  Walters  belonged,  and  from  whom 
both  she  and  her  first  husband  had  received  such  per- 
sonal indignities,  on  account  of  their  more  strict  ob- 
servance of  the  duties  enjoined  by  the  gospel. 

It  appeared  that  this  reverend  gentleman  had  been  so 
successful  in  worming  himself  into  the  good  graces  of 
Lord  H.,  through  the  influence  of  his  son.  General  H., 
that  on  the  death  of  the  late  incumbent  of  the  rich  livinsr 
in  the  Church  in  the  gift  of  Lord  H.,  he  had  been  in- 
ducted. This,  while  it  shows  a  remarkable  tuin  in  af- 
fairs, will  indicate  the  position  of  the  parties  now  before 
us.  We  have  said  that  this  gentleman  was  one  of  the 
first,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  obsequious,  in  his  atten- 
tions to  Mrs.  Le  Clair.  But,  with  ^  his  cringing,  he 
could  not  erase  from  her  mind  the  deep  impressions 
made  by  the  taunts  and  jeers  he  had  directed  against 
her  first  husband,  Captain  Walters.  But  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
was  of  too  noble  and  magnanimous  a  nature,  by  her 
tongue,  or  in  any  other  way,  to  give  Wilson  an  indica- 
tion of  the  opinion  she  had  formed  of  his  disposition  and 
general  character.  Mr.  Wilson  was  the  same  sleek, 
smooth-tongued  person  as  formei'ly,  to  those  of  the  same 
way  of  thinking  as  himself.  He  was  at  once  a  fawning 
flatterer  to  those  occupying  statiqns  above  him,  but  im- 
perious and  pyerbearing  to  thoise  below  him.     Where 


324 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


tli(!re  was  the  least  antagonism  in  religious  sentiment  or 
opinion,  he  would,  if  he  could,  have  been  a  persecutor 
even  to  death.  But  as  things  were  now,  Mrs.  Le  Clair 
was  his  superior,  and  he  knew  it,  and  was  so  much  in- 
fluenced by  that  knowledge,  that  he  became  a  marvel  to 
many  ;  and  it  was  generally  thought  that  a  gentle  hint 
from  Mrs.  Lo  Clair,  on  the  subject  of  his  official  extor- 
tions, had  induced  him  to  remodel  his  tactics. 

One  very  signal  benefit  arising  from  Mrs.  Le  Clair's 
i!i  'ii'ving  the  estates  of  her  father,  with  those  of  her 
uul.  vas  the  clearing  and  fencing  in  of  many  of  those 
useles.s  appendages  termed  "  preserves  for  game,"  and 
erecting  neat  and  comfortable  cottages  thereon,  with  a 
good  space  of  land  attached,  and  placing  the  most  de- 
serving and  industrious  of  the  laboring  poor  upon  them  ; 
and  she  soon  had  the  happiness  of  receiving  the  grateful 
acknowledgments  of  a  thriving  and  prosperous  company 
of  poor  men  and  their  families.  Tnese  were  acts  more  in 
accordance  with  the  mission  of  wealth  and  position  than 
the  breeding  of  pheasants  and  partridges. 

But  we  must  now  leave  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  secured  in  the 
possession  of'  her  newly-acquired  position,  which  she 
adorned  with  true  dignity  and  every  womanly  grace. 
She  had  passed  through  a  severe  course  of  training  in 
the  school  of  adversity,  and  emerged  from  the  ordeal 
subdued  and  mild  in  her  disposition,  humble  in  her  de 
portment,  and  meek  in  spirit. 


woman's  endubanck. 


325 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

^nd,  S>.  George  Hargreaves  and  his  wife  made  their 

2iTz  *:,'""'™-.  ^^■«"  "=-«■  "-y  -"t  to  «^ 

CCS    ul     '      ''""™*-\!'"°  ''»d  brought  his  suit  to  a  sue 

ie  m  ,      f     ",";     ^''  ^'■"^"■"^^  ^"^  congratulations 
were  mutual  and  hearty,  and,  after  making  son.e  neces- 

Bayb«sn.ess  arrangements,  the  attorney  accomrrrd 

Ha  greaves  and  his  wife  to  their  new  horn",  to  pu[  t    m 

"    (gal  possession.     On  their  arrival  there,  they  found 

that  extensive  preparations  had  been  made  t    give     Jm 

a  befitting  reception.     The  old  family  mansio-t  with    t 

surroundings,  had  been  trimmed  up  and  beaut  fied  a  id 

p.-esented  an  entirely  renovated  appearance.     But  ali 

tins  was  as  nothing  i„  comparison  with  the  hearty  good- 

tTe  e::l!^"''^™"  ^"^  ^^'"^■•'^''  'y  =*"  —tJ/with 

A  few  days  after  Hargreaves'  arrival,  a  committee 
waited  upon  him,  as  a  deputation  from  the  principal 
tenants  of  the  estate,  requesting  him  to  appoint  an 
early  day  when  they  might  all  assemble  to  eel,  bV  e 
h,s  advent  among  them.  This  request  was  no  soon,;, 
made  tl^n  granted  ;  and  the  time  named  was  the  fir.st 
day  of  May,  which  appeared  to  meet  the  wishes  and 
approval  of  ail.    Nothing  that  had  happened  i     t^ 


326 


THE 


BLACK    phantom; 


OR, 


I      i. 
■      ( 


part  of  the  country  during  the  generation  then  living 
had  caused  such  a  profound  sensati(Hi  as  did  this  ex- 
pected gala  day.  Of  course,  appropriate  preparations 
were  made,  and  these  on  a  scale  of  magnificence  that 
would  fittingly  display  the  joy  that  swayed  all  hearts. 
It  may  be  supposed  that  the  farmers,  together  with  the 
younger  branches  of  their  families,  would  wish  to  do  all 
honor  to  their  new  and  young  landlord  ;  and,  so  far  as 
display  in  dress  and  of  blooming  youth  and  beauty 
were  concerned,  this  would  be  abundantly  manifest. 
Sir  George  himself  gave  instructions  to  have  extensive 
temporary  booths  built  upon  the  spacious  lawn  in  front 
of  the  old  mansion,  and  these  decorated  and  festooned 
c.'itb  branches  of  tjie  liveliest  evergreens.  But  these 
evergreens  were  almost  a  work  of  supererogation  ;  for, 
on  the  first  of  May,  in  the  southwest  of  England,  to 
which  our  narrative  now  refers,  nature  is  clothed  in  her 
holiday  attire,  and  presents  the  appearance  of  one  uni- 
versal flower-garden.  And  then  Sir  George  issued  a 
long  programme  of  rural  sports,  suited  to  the  tastes 
and  inclinations  of  the  rustic  mind.  Ample  provision 
was  also  made  for  satisfying  the  cravings  of  the  inner 
man. 

When  the  anxiously  awaited  morning  arrived,  it  was 
all  that  could  be  desired — one  of  those  bright  and  glo- 
rious mornings  that  cause  the  blood  to  flow  freely  and 
briskly  through  the  veins,  giving  hilarity  to  the  spirits, 
a  livelier  play  to  the  feelings,  and  filling  the  soul  with 
delight.  And  then,  all  nature,  both  animate  and  inani- 
mate, appeared  to  partake  of  the  pervading  influence, 
for  the  air  was  redolent  with  sweetness,  and  resounded 
with  the  melodious  song  of  birds.      It  was,  indeed,  a 


' 


woman's  endurance. 


327 


living 
his  ex- 
iratioiis 
ce  that 

hearts, 
iritli  the 
o  do  all 
0  far  as 

beauty 
janifest. 
[tensive 
in  front 
;stooned 
it  these 
on  ;  for, 
land,  to 
id  in  her 
one  II ni- 
issued  2. 
e  tastes 
)rovision 
he  inner 

d,  it  was 
and  glo- 
:eely  and 
B  spirits, 
loul  with 
nd  inani- 
Lufluence, 
esounded 
indeed,  a 


special  day  in   that  sweet  and  picturesque  valley  of 
Devonshire. 

Tlie  gathering  crowds  in  the  early  part  of  tht;  day, 
witli  their  earnest  and  anxious  fiices,  gave  f'lll  attesta- 
tion of  the  deep  interest  felt  by  the  people  for  miles 
around.  When  the  company  had  all  gathered  and  the 
sports  were  at  their  height,  the  scene  was  most  delight- 
ful to  contemplate.  The  fun  and  frolic,  the  abandon- 
ment to  innocent  mirth  so  characteristic  of  the  gather- 
ings  of  the  rural  population  of  England,  marked  this  as 
a  day  long  to  be  rememb'^red.  The  young  Sir  George 
Hargreaves,  with  his  erect,  tall,  manr'  figure,  moved 
among  the  dense  and  delighted  assemblage  the  most 
deli^-hted  of  the  throng.  His  hand  was  freely  extended, 
and  received  many  an  honest,  hearty,  and  congratulatory 
shake,  while  to  every  request  he  lent  a  willing  ear. 
But,  amidst  all  this,  the  great  centre  of  retraction  and 
admiration  was  the  beautiful  Lillian  ;  for  wherever  she 
moved  among  the  group  of  delighted  visitors  there  was 
a  buzz  of  involuntary  admiration.  She  was  attired  in 
a  plain  but  rich  dress,  for  she  required  no  meretricious 
ornaments  to  set  off  her  native  beauty.  And  then  she 
was  as  buoyant  and  blithe  as  the  lightest  heart  there, 
and  entered  with  equal  glee  into  all  the  mirth  of  the 
moment.  What  gave  Lillian  a  keener  relish  for  this  fes- 
tive scene  was  the  presence  of  her  mother  ;  and  if  ever 
mortals  were  brimful  of  joy,  that  was  now  the  state  of 
Lillian  and  her  parent.  To  them,  under  the  influence 
of  those  higher  and  finer  sensibilities  which  only  deeply 
susceptible  natures  can  experience,  it  seemed  the  con- 
summation of  earthly  bliss,  after  the  trials  and  sorrows 
through  which  they  had  been  brought. 


3^8 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


Once,  in  the  afternoon,  Lillian  approached  her  mother, 
her  face  beaming  with  smiles,  and  with  an  arch,  roguish 
twinkle  of  her  eye,  whispered,  "  Mother,  what  do  you 
think  of  the  prophecy  of  the  old  Indian  witch  now  ?" 
This  allusion  to  what  at  one  time  appeared  so  improb- 
able, at  first  somewhat  disconcerted  Mrs.  Le  Clair  ;  but 
recovering  her  self-possession,  she  said,  with  a  signifi- 
cant look,  and  her  face  lit  up  with  a  smile,  "  Yes  indeed, 
my  dear,  I  have  often  of  late  thought  on  the  same  sub- 
ject myself." 

At  the  close  of  this  very  memorable  day,  when  the 
sun  was  sinking  from  their  sight,  this  company  of  happy 
spirits  wended  their  way  to  their  respective  homes. 
None  but  pleasant  memories  remained  as  subjects  for 
the  neighboring  gossips  to  while  away  their  evening 
hours  for  many  a  month  and  year  afterwards. 

Sir  George  and  Lady  Hargreaves  were  now  destined 
to  occupy  a  higher  sphere,  and  the  circle  of  their  ac- 
quaintance to  be  much  enlarged  ;  for  the  neigiiboring 
gentry,  prompted  by  various  and  conflicting  motives, 
sought  their  friendship.  The  high  standing,  in  the 
county  of  Devonshire,  of  the  family  from  which  Har- 
greaves himself  had  descended,  gave  him  position  in 
their  estimation.  Quite  a  number  were  attracted  thither 
by  the  fame  that  was  spread  abroad  of  the  surpassing 
beauty  and  rare  accomplishments  of  Lillian  ;  and  scarcely 
a  day  was  allowed  to  pass  without  a  social  party  being 
formed,  meeting  in  succession  at  each  other's  mansions. 
Whether  Lillian  went  on  the  visit  alone  or  accompanied 
by  her  husband,  she  was  always  driven  in  almost  regal 
state  in  her  carriage  and  four  ;  and  wherever  she  went, 
she  was  the  centre  and  life  of  the  circle,  for,  with  her 


woman's  endurance. 


329 


er  mother, 
h,  roguish 
at  do  you 
,ch  now  ?" 
10  improb- 
3kiir  ;  but 
a  signifi- 
es indeed, 
same  sub- 
when  the 
/■  of  happy 
ve  homes, 
ibjects  for 
r  evening 

V  destined 
■  their  ac- 
iighboring 
f  motives, 
g,  in  the 
hich  Har- 
osition  in 
:ed  thither 
surpassing 
d  scarcely 
irty  being 
mansions, 
jompanied 
nost  regal 
she  went, 
•,  with  her 


general  knowledge  and  native  wit,  she  was  capable^  ,>f 
Hupportmg  the  most  varied  and  intelligent  conversation 
She  generally  took  the  lead   in   music,  both  vocal  and 
instrumental ;   usually  extorting  the  admiration  of  h(>r 
lady  friends.     The  few  who  spoke  disparagingly  of  her 
performances   were   of  that   narrow-minded    class   who 
depreciate  in  others  whatever  they  cannot  themselves 
equal.     Envy  eclipsed  their  judgment  and  their  taste 
Ihis  was  perceived  by  Lillian,  for  she  was  quick  at  dis- 
cei  am-  the  characters  and  dispositions  of  her  associates  • 
t)ut  It  had  no  other  eflect  than  to  urge  her  onward  to  the 
attainment  v?f  a  higher  excellence,  as  will  be  evidenced 
by  a  few  instances  illustrative  of  the  nature  and  extent 
of  her  triumphs. 

Practice  with  the  long-bow,  a  very  healthful  sport  is 
quite  popular  among  some  of  the  aristocratic  families  of 
England.     Hence,  many  of  the  nobility  have  shootino-- 
butts  regularly  laid  out,  where  both  ladies  and  gentle- 
men resort  to  exercise  their  skill  in  archery.     Amon- 
the  associates  of  Lillian  there  were  many  who  stood  hio-h 
as  accomplished  archers  ;   and  of  course  these,  feelino- 
confident  in  their  own  skill,  and  ever  ready  to  enter  the 
lists  against  all  comers,  soon  gave  the  challenge  to  Lil- 
lian, being  unaware  that  she  was  an  adept  in  that  sport 
Nothing  daunted,  she  accepted  it,  without  dropping  any 
hint  that  she  had  ever  practised  with  the  bow  and  arrow 
On  the  arrival  of  the  company  of  ladies  and  o-entle- 
men   at  the   shooting-butts,  they  each   of  them,  out  of 
respect  to  Lillian,  proposed  to  give  her  the  privile-(>  of 
the  first  shot.     She  modestly  but  firmly  declined,  statin- 
that  she  would  prefer  seeing  the  others  commence,  as 
sjie  would  then  know  better  how  to  act. 


330 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


When  tho  mpmbera  of  the  party  had  p^ivcn  cvidoncc 
f)f  their  skill,  with  a  wide  margin  as  to  resUits,  the  bow 
and  arrow  were  handed  to  Lillian.  On  receiving  these, 
she  minutely  examined  the  bow  from  nock  to  nock,  and 
then  the  arrow,  from  head  to  feather.  She  then  placed 
the  arrow  in  its  seat  with  care,  and  tried  the  spring,  so 
as  to  adjust  her  own  strength  to  the  strength  and  spring 
of  the  bow.  Putting  herself  in  position,  she  now  fixed 
her  eye  on  the  target,  and  taking  a  cool  and  steady  aim, 
sent  the  arrow  to  the  golden  centre.  Some  of  the  gen- 
tlemen exclaimed  :  "  Well  done,  Lady  Hargreaves  !" 
Several  of  the  ladies,  however,  who  had  been  considered, 
and  who  considered  themselves,  extraordinary  shots, 
felt  no  little  pique  at  being  thus  shorn  of  their  laurels  ; 
and  they  insinuated  that  it  was  more  good  luck  than 
good  shooting  on  the  part  of  Lady  Hargreaves.  Where- 
upon, when  it  came  to  Lillian's  turn  again  to  try  her 
hand,  purposely  taking  her  stand  ten  yards  further  from 
the  target,  she  placed  the  arrow  precisely  in  the  same 
spot  as  before. 

This  feat  called  forth  a  stronger  expression  of  admira- 
tion from  the  gentlemen,  and  from  a  few  of  the  ladies. 
But  a  few  of  the  latter,  who  had  hitherto  carried  off  the 
palm  in  their  contests  at  these  exercises,  manifested 
some  mortification,  and  made  remarks  aside,  in  accord- 
ance with  their  feelings.  The  sport  was  carried  on  to  a 
further  trial  ;  and  Lillian  again  receding  ten  yards, 
placed  the  arrow  as  before,  without  deviating  a  hair's- 
breadth.  It  was  now  fully  conceded  by  all  present,  thai 
Lady  Hargreaves  must  receive  the  crown,  and  hence- 
forth be  considered  the  champion  archer  of  the  district. 

On  observing  evidences  of  wounded  pride  in  some  of 


woman's  endurance. 


331 


evidoncc 
»,  tl)<3  bow 
ing  th<;sc, 
nock,  and 
en  placed 
sprinji:,  HO 
ind  spring 
now  fixed 
teady  aiiri, 
if  the  g(;n- 
o-reaves  !" 
;onsidered, 
ary   shots, 
ir  laurels  ; 
luck  than 
3.     Where- 
to try  her 
rther  from 
the  same 

of  admira- 
he  ladies, 
ied  off  the 
manifested 
m  accord- 
ied  on  to  a 
en   yards, 
a  hair's- 
esent,  thai 
and  hence- 
e  district, 
in  some  of 


T 


the  ladies,  and  a  wish,  on  their  part,  to  depreciate  her 
skill,  a  spirit  of  rivalry  took  possession  of  Lillian  ;  and 
at  times  it  might  have  been  thought  that  she  acted  with 
too  masculine  an  energy,  and  exhibited  too  eager  a 
desire  to  excel.  A  little  of  this  may  perhaps  be  dis- 
covered in  the  following  incident.  One  day  in  early 
autumn,  a  number  of  gentlemen  were  assc^nbied  for  the 
purpose  of  having  a  day's  sport,  and  before  leaving  they 
formed  quite  an  interesting  group  in  front  of  th(;  Hall. 
A  number  of  ladies  were  attracted  to  the  place  to  wit- 
ness the  departure  of  the  sportsmen,  and,  as  usual  on 
such  occasions,  the  jest  and  the  merry  laugh  lent  their 
aid  to  eidiven  the  interview.  One  of  the  ladies  made 
the  remark,  that  she  would  like  to  go  with  them,  if  she 
had  a  fowling-piece,  and  knew  how  to  use  it.  "Oh," 
said  Lillian,  laughing,  "  I  can  use  one,"  and  requested  a 
gentleman  to  lend  her  his  double-barrelled  Manton. 
Looking  out  for  a  bird  on  the  wing,  which  she  soon  dis- 
covered, she  brorr^ht  the  piece  to  her  shoulder  and  fired, 
and  the  game  came  fluttering  to  the  ground.  Then 
turning  to  the  opposite  direction,  and  seeing  another 
bird,  she  repeated  the  action  with  the  same  result ;  when 
she  returned  the  piece  to  its  owner,  saying — 

"Did  not  I  tell  you  that  I  could  use  a  fowling-piece?" 
"Upon  my  word,"  said  one  of  the  gentlemen,  "Lady 
Hargreaves  is  not  less  accurate  in  her  use  of  the  fowling- 
piece  than  of  the  bow  and  arro  ^'.''  With  these  and 
other  feats,  Lillian  excited  the  admiration  of  some,  and 
the  jealous}'^  of  others  of  the  company. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  acquaintance  of  Lillian 
with  the  ladies  of  the  neighboring  noble  families,  she 
acted  in  her  own  natural,  unassuming  v/ay  ;  but  finding 


332 


TIIK    BLACK    rilANTOM;    OR, 


thorn  g^rowiii^  jealous  of  her  superior  skill,  altliouj?li  she 
liad  the  prudence  and  self-restraint  to  hide  from  others 
her  impressions,  she  yet  felt  her  Indian  blood  wrou^^lit 
upon  so  far,  as  to  inspire  her  with  a  full  determination 
to  excel.  And  once  imbued  with  this  spirit,  she  lost  no 
opportunity  of  showing  her  superior'  And  she  felt 

almost  contempt  for  these  ladies,  puflc.  up  as  they  were 
by  their  inflated  imaginations,  with  ideas  of  tlieir  im- 
measurable superiority  to  the  poor,  untitled  common 
people.  If  they  spoke  to  or  of  these,  it  was  with  a  pat- 
ronizing- air,  indicative  of  superiority  on  the  one  side, 
and  of  inferiority  on  the  other. 

How  diff'-rent  from  all  this  were  the  manners  and 
behavior  of  Lillian  !  Her  kind  and  gentle  lieart  was  of 
a  far  different  mould.  She  would  give  heed  to  the 
humblest,  without  any  appearance  of  hauteur,  and  yet 
without  sacrificing  her  native  dignit'  Nay,  indeed, 
never  did   she  display   i¥)    much    of  'e    and    moral 

beauty  as  when  holding  familiar  converse  with  some 
poor  woman,  listening  with  deep  interest  to  some  story 
of  personal  or  douKistic^  sorrow,  and  by  kind  and  gentle 
wcjrds,  and  often  by  more  substantial  appliances,  sooth- 
ing the  sorrows  of  her  afflicted  heart. 

Often  would  Lillian,  in  direct  terms,  place  her  ante- 
cedents in  bold  contrast  with  those  of  her  lady  com- 
panions, by  narrating  some  of  tiiose  thrilling  incidents 
in  which  her  own  ancestors  had  exhibited  their  heroism 
and  displayed  their  prowess.  When  listening  to  these 
ladies  boasting  of  their  descent  in  a  direct  line  from 
son-.c  one  of  the  leading  officers  belonging  to  the  train 
of  William  the  Conqueror,  Lillian  did  not  hesitate  to 
declare,  that  she  could  boast  of  spnTiging  fiom  a  line  of 


WOMAN  s   enduran(;e. 


383 


■oin  others 
(1  wrou^lit 
LTininatioii 
slio  lost  no 
id  she  felt 
tlioy  were 
r  their  iin- 
d  comtnoii 
ivitli  a  p.'it- 
!  one  side, 

mners  and 
.•art  was  of 
»ed  to  the 
ir,  and  yet 
iiy,  indeed, 
nd  moral 
ith  some 
;ome  story 
and  gentle 
ices,  sooth- 

her  ante- 
ady  com- 
incideuts 
ir  heroism 
g-  to  these 
line  from 
the  train 
lesitate  to 
n  a  line  of 


princes  who  flourished  long  anterior  to  the  existence  of 
William,  or  any  of  his  ofVicers.  And  when  1\\vhv  ladies 
were  priding  tiiemselves  on  the  extent  of  their  posses- 
sions, Lilliiin  wouhl  place  in  contrast  to  these,  the  witle 
domain  over  which  her  forefathers  held  sway  hy  the 
potency  of  their  own  strong  right  arm.  She  would  often 
insinuate  a  reproach  of  the  useless  and  utterly  aimless 
lives  they  led — spending  their  days  and  nights  in  a  con- 
tinual round  of  vitiating  and  enervating  gayeties  and 
follies,  while  there  were  open  to  them  so  many  spheres 
of  usefulness  more  dignifying  and  ennobling  thjin  the 
boast  of  ancestry  or  the  possession  of  lands  and  houses. 
Lillian  was  at  one  time  on  a  visit  at  a  mansion  some 
distance  from  her  own  home.  The  conversation  turning 
on  the  above  subjects,  one  of  the  young  ladies  said  : 
"We  must  take  Lad\  Harcrreaves  with  us  when  we  go 
to  those  poor  families,  with  the  clothes  and  blankets  Ma 
bought  for  them,  and  then  she  will  see  for  herself  that 
we  do  not  always  spend  our  time  so  very  aindessly 
and  uselessly."  Accepting  their  invitation,  Lillian  did 
go  with  them  on  their  message  of  mercy  and  labor  of 
love,  and  was  much  amused  at  the  pomp  and  circum- 
stance observed  by  the  ladies,  with  the  design  of  making 
an  impression  of  their  condescension  on  the  minds  of  the 
poor  creatures  who  were  the  objects  of  their  bounty. 
They  visited  several  cottages,  if  filthy  mud-holes  might 
be  so  named,  with  scarcely  an  article  that  had  any  of 
the  features  of  furniture  within  them,  and  with  a  few 
rods  of  ground  attached,  which  had  been  rendered  as 
solid  as  rock,  by  being  used  as  a  common  play-ground 
for  years,  by  a  multitude  of  shoeless  and  shirtless,  wild 
and  untutored  children,  with  scarcely  rags  enough  on 


334 


THE 


BLACK    phantom; 


OR, 


them  to  cover  their  nakedness.  Abject  poverty  ap- 
peared to  be  the  general  characteristic  of  each  and  all  ; 
and  this  was  associated  with  idiotic,  expressionless 
countenances',  in  all  the  inmates  of  these  miserable 
dwellings,  adults  as  well  as  juveniles.  To  these  mis- 
erable creatures  were  doled  out  a  few  pairs  of  coarse 
blankets,  such  as  the  grooms  or  the  coachmen  of  these 
proud  titled  ladies  would  have  scorned  to  throw  over 
the  horses  in  their  stables.  A  few  other  cheap  articles 
of  clothing  were  distributed  to  these  comparatively  des- 
titute creatures,  by  these  panipered  favorites  of  fortune. 
While  amused  at  the  frivolous  and  empty  pompousness 
of  these  ladies,  Lillian  was  deeply  mortified  to  see  them 
apparently  lost  to  the  conviction  that  they  themselves 
were  of  the  same  flesh  and  blood,  deriving  their  being 
from  one  common  origin  with  those  whom  they  seemed 
to  hold  at  so  cheap  a  rate.  But  Lillian  was  a  person  of 
prudence,  as  well  as  of  f<  bold  and  fearless  independence. 
Slie  knew  how  to  time  her  remarks  so  as  to  produce 
the  most  telling  effect.  Ana  this  was  evidenced  in  the 
present  instance.  On  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which 
the  above  events  transpired,  a  number  of  the  ladies  were 
conversing  on  the  proceedings  of  the  day,  when  a  direct 
appeal  was  made  to  Lillian  for  her  opinion  as  to  what 
she  thought  of  them.  With  all  her  peculiar  honesty 
and  frankness,  Lillian  declared  that  if  she  had  on  former 
occasions  hinted  that  they  were  spending  their  lives  to 
little  purpose,  she  would  now  say,  if  she  must  spe.;k 
according  to  the  dictates  of  her  judgment,  that  they  had 
on  that  day  done  a  serious  wrong — that  they  had  fos- 
ten'd  the  feelings  and  had  encouraged  the  habits  of  de- 
pendence in  those  poor  creatures  ;   and  had  thus  sapped 


woman's  endurance. 


335 


the  vory  foundations  of  manly  di-nity  and  conscious 
self-re»pect.  If  they  sincerely  wished  to  benefit  those 
peoph',  they  should  try  to  place  them  in  such  a  position 
as  would  enable  them  to  cultivate;  their  self-esteem 
"  Place  them,"  she  said,  "  above  the  need  of  charity,  and 
enable  them  to  work  out  their  own  salvation." 

One  of  the  ladies  exclaimed—"  Why,  bless  me.  Lady 
Hargreaves,  you  are  really  provokin<r  ;  we  thought  we 
were  doing  them  good,  and  preparing  them  to  endure 
the  severities  of  the  coming  winter  "  In  the  name  of 
common  sense,"  she  continued,  "  how  could  we  change 
their  position  ?  Do  you  wish  that  we  should  take  ail 
those  ignorant  and  uncleanly  beings  to  live  with  us  in 
this  Hall  ?" 

"  Oh  no,"  said  Lillian,  "  by  no  means  ;  that  would,  if 
anythnjg,  be  aggravating  the  case-it  would  be  makino- 
matters  worse.    But  I  will  give  you  my  view  of  the  case. 
In  our  rambles  to-day  we  passed  a  number  of  places  that 
are  now  going  to  waste,  ano',  indeed,  worse  than  that 
for  they  produce  only  noxious  weeds  and  brambles   and' 
harbor  reptiles  and  vermin,  while  they  are  well  adapted 
for  profitable  cultivation.     Instead  of  being  an  eye-sore 
and  a  disfigurement,  as  they  now  are,  they  mi-ht  be 
transformed  into  real  ornaments  of  the  place      And  it 
would  add  much  to  the  beauty  of  the  locality,  by  having 
neatly  finished  cottages  erected  on  them.     You  could 
then  transfer  the  people  we  saw  to-day  to  these   cot- 
tages ;  and  by  giving  them  a  fair  start,  by  a  trifling  out- 
lay  at  tiie  first,  you  would  soon  have  profitable  returns 
But,  aside  from  any  pecuniary  profit  to  be  derived  from 
this  source,  and   the   social   comfort   and  happiness  of 
which  you  will  have  been  the  cause,  the  intellectual 


fi\ 


336 


THE     BLACK     PHANTOM;     OR, 


clovolopniont  that  would  follow  as  a  natural  and  collat- 
eral resuk,  would  redound  in  a  still  greater  degree  to 
your  honor.  Here  you  will  be  erecting  monuments 
worth}^  of  your  ambition  ;  for  in  all  the  future,  in  tracing 
back  to  discover  the  cause  of  results  so  vast  and  glori- 
ous, the  pen  of  the  historian  and  of  the  philanthropist 
will  place  upon  their  imperishable  records  your  names 
among  those  they  ciu-onicle  as  deserving  the  admiration 
of  coming  generations. 


woman's  endurance. 


337 


d  collat- 
egree  to 
iiuments 
1  tracing" 
Tid  glori- 
iithropist 
r  Tuirnes 
iiiiratiou 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Not  only  were  Lillian  and  her  lady  companions  widely 
variant  in  their  opinions  on  many  subjects,  but  her  hus- 
band, Sir  George  Hargreaves,  coveted  as  his  company 
was  by  an  extensive  circle  of  the  neighboring  gentry, 
also  found  subjects  which,  in  the  discussion  of  them, 
gave  rise  to  clashing  of  opinion  and  sentiment.  And 
some  of  these  were  of  vital  interest.  It  was  oi'ten  the 
case,  that  the  more  benevolent  the  purposes,  and  the 
more  large-hearted  the  views  of  Sir  George,  the  more 
bitterly  he  was  opposed  by  some  of  the  leading  gentle- 
men of  the  neighborhood.  To  give  the  reader  some  idea 
of  the  wordy  conflicts  in  which  these  parties  sometimes 
engaged,  we  will  just  say,  that  Sir  George  liad  been 
deeply  impressed  with  the  neglected  state  and  the  gross 
ignorance  of  the  laboring  population  on  and  around  his 
newly-acquired  estate.  And  not  only  were  his  own  feel- 
ings thus  wrought  upon,  but  the  mind  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair, 
and  the  noble  and  active-minded  Lillian,  were  greatly 
exercised  by  the  state  of  that  unfortunate  class.  By 
their  joint  efforts,  plans  had  been  formed,  and  to  so!ne 
extent  been  put  in  operation,  by  which  this  deplorabhj 
state  of  things  would  be  rectified.  Not  only  had  Sir 
George  and  his  wife  had  an  eye  to  the  mental  and  moral 
culture  of  the  neighboring  poor,  but  they  had  also  formed 
the  purpose  of  apportioning  (jff  the  park  and  the  pleasure- 


338 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


grounds — useless  and  wasteful  !ip])endages  in  their  pres- 
ent form  around  tlieir  mansion — into  small  allotments  of 
a  few  acres  each,  and  erecting  comfortable  cottag-es  on 
them,  as  residences  for  these  hithert(j  neglected  poor. 
Then,  instead  of  these  grounds  being,  as  now,  but  waste 
places  and  retreats  for  destructive  animals,  they  would 
support  a  happy,  industrious,  and  thriving  population. 

Instead  of  this  kind-hearted  and  benevolent  project 
meeting  with  the  entire  approval  of  the  neighboring 
gentr}^,  it  met  with  their  most  strenuous  opposition,  and 
at  all  their  social  gatherings  he  was  bitterly  rated  for 
his  consummate  folly.  We  will  give  an  instance.  In 
October,  on  one  of  those  soft  delicious  days  for  which 
that  month  is  especially  famed  in  the  southern  part  of 
England,  a  large  party  of  gentlemen  had  been  out,  and 
had  seen  choice  sport,  having  met  with  more  than  ordi- 
nary success.  Delighted  witli  themselves  for  accom- 
plishing so  nmch  in  their  few  hours  of  sport,  a  feeling 
of  good-nature  and  careless  ease  pervaded  the  whole 
company.  xVny  trifling  incident  called  fcjrth  hnid  and 
boisterous  laughter,  and  some  of  the  party  seemed  ready 
to  engage  in  any  lark  or  piece  of  senseless  mischief. 
By  the  road-side  on  which  they  were  travelling  were 
two  or  three  neglected  and  dilapidated  cottages  ;  and 
not  far  fr(jm  these  was  a  group  of  dirty,  ragged  childi'ea 
playing,  or  rather  wallowing  in  the  mud  and  dirt.  On 
observing  these  chiWren,  one  of  the  gentlemen,  in  a 
rough,  commanding  voice,  called  out  to  them  to  clear 
away,  or  he  would  shoot  them,  at  the  same  instant 
bringing  the  butt  of  his  gun  to  ills  shoulder  and  pre- 
senting it  towards  them  ;  when,  to  his  horror,  and  to  the 
consternation  of  every  one  of  the  party,  the  guu  went 


woman's   endurance. 


339 


off.  Tliey  were  all  ritiipclicd  for  thu  mornout,  supposing 
that  he  had  iiitentionaily  sent  the  li<,'avy  char^^e  of  the 
f^im  into  the  midst  of  the  group  of  cliihh'cn.  But  tlieir 
feelings  were  relieved  on  seeing  all  the  cliildren  scamper 
off,  tlieir  rags  streaming  in  the  wind.  When  they  came 
to  understand  the  cause  of  the  alarming  occurrence,  they 
found  that,  raising  his  gun  to  his  shoulder  in  a  spirit  of 
merriment,  the  trigger  had  been  caught  by  the  strap  of 
the  gentleman's  game-bag,  and  so  caused  the  discharge  ; 
and  then,  instead  of  the  piece  being  in  a  direct  line  with 
the  children  when  it  went  off,  the  strap  pulled  it  aside, 
so  rendering  that  harmless  which  otherwise  might  have 
proved  a  fatal  disaster.  This  incident  was  the  means 
of  abating  the  exuberance  of  their  spirits,  r.nd  qui(!ting 
the  noisy  clamor  of  their  voices. 

But,  if  the  above  incident  had  subdued  the  ardor  and 
sportiveness  of  feeling  of  these  gentlemen,  it  had  not 
in  the  least  affected  the  cravings  of  their  keen  appe- 
tites. On  their  arrival  at  the  mansion  of  their  host, 
when  the  varied  viands  v/ere  spread  out  before  them  in 
all  their  amplitude,  little  persuasion,  it  was  found,  was 
required  to  enable  them  to  do  justice  to  the  abundant 
dainties  provided.  After  having  partaken  of  the  rich 
repast,  wines  of  fine  flavor  and  of  the  choicest  brands 
flowed  without  stint ;  and  the  minds  of  both  host  and 
noble  guests  were  soon  oblivious  to  the  requirements 
of  prudence  and  decorum.  Such  a  company,  and  under 
such  influences,  were  likely  to  find  subjects  for  playful 
banter,  if  not  for  more  earnest  demonstrations.  And  as 
the  rather  unwarrantable  and  novel  proceedings  of  Sir 
George  Hargrcaves  and  his  active-minded  wife  had 
somewhat  disturbed  the  minds  of  tho  ladies  and  gentry 


340 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


? 


of  the  noig-liborhood,  what  so  likely  as  this  subject  to 
occupy  a  prominent  place  in  the  discussions  of  the  even- 
ing ?  Earnest  and  patlietic  appeals  had  been  made,  but 
had  failed  to  deter  them  from  pursuing  a  course  dictated 
by  the  promptings  of  humanity.  It  had  been  urged  that 
the  plans  and  purposes  of  Sir  George  were  fraught  with 
mischief  to  the  upper  classes.  To  carry  out  those  plans 
would  be  to  mar  the  beauty  and  curtail  tlie  magnifi- 
cence of  those  stately  mansions  and  their  surrounding 
grounds,  which  the  present  occupants  had  inherited, 
and  which  they  were  bound  by  the  considerations  of 
family  memories  and  ancestral  fame  to  hand  down  to 
their  successors  in  the  line  of  descent,  undiminished  in 
magnitude  and  undimmed  in  splendor.  Here,  then,  was 
a  subject  connected  with  the  social  standing,  and  tiiat 
touciied  the  self-interest  of  each  member  of  tiie  company 
before  us.  The  minds  of  these  men  were  moulded  in 
the  principles  of  caste.  Yet  here  was  one  of  tlieir  own 
class,  who  had  presumed  to  set  at  naught  all  the  con- 
siderations that  had  hitherto  prompted  and  governed 
the  movements  of  their  order.  It  was  in  vain  that  Sir 
George  urged  upon  their  attention,  that  wealth  find  in- 
telligence had  a  noble  and  imperative  mission  ;  and  that, 
if  those  upon  whom  had  devolved  such  responsibilities 
proved  recreant  to  their  duty  and  false  to  their  trust,  as 
sure  as  niglit  follows  day,  so  sure  will  retributive  jus- 
tice demand  a  reckoiung,  and  the  hand  of  the  avenger 
will  execute  judgment.  They  could  not  revel  in  wealth, 
and  boast  of  their  knowledge,  while  at  the  same  time 
they  neglected  to  care  for  the  destitute  poor  around 
them,  and  be  held  guiltless  before  God  and  man.  Their 
own  individual  interest,  as  well  as  feelings  of  national 


woman's  endurance. 


341 


pride,  slioiild  arouse  their  sensibilities,  and  direct  their  at- 
tenti(3n  to  that  numerous  class,  scattered  over  onr  estates. 
It  would  be  really  dangerous  to  our  safety,  if  these  men 
of  rude  intellect  and  still  ruder  passions  should  become 
fully  sensible  of  the  indignities  we  have  inflicted,  and  of 
the  wrong's  they  have  endured  at  onr  hands,  for  so  many 
generations.  It  was  his  impression  that  they  had  better 
begin  to  lead  them  by  the  silken  cords  of  reason  and  of 
love,  before  that  grand  crisis  arrives — the  signs  of  which 
are  gathering  around  us — when  the  distinction  of  class 
and  caste  will  be  swallowed  up  and  lost  in  the  crash  of 
the  very  frame-work  of  society. 

At  a  late  hour,  and  under  the  influence  of  a  more 
genial  spirit,  the  company  separated  for  tlieir  homes. 
The  clatter  of  horse-hoofs  and  the  rumble  of  carriago 
wheels  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  woods,  and  disturbed 
the  stillness  of  the  night  for  a  short  time,  and  then  all 
•was  silent. 

A  short  time  after  the  above  gathering,  the  same,  or 
nearly  the  same,  party  assembled  at  the  mansion  of  Sir 
George  Ilargreaves.  Though  the  strife  of  words  had 
been  warm  and  earnest  on  a  number  of  occasions  of  late, 
yet  it  had  not  led  to  the  estrangement  of  families.  It 
was  nearly  the  end  of  October,  and,  although  the  day 
might  be  said  to  be  fine,  still  there  were  fitful  gusts  of 
wind,  and  black,  pillowing  clouds  looming  up  in  the  dis- 
tance, giving  premonitory  tokens  of  coming  winter.  Sir 
George  and  Lillian,  notwithstanding  they  were  full}^ 
aware  of  the  views  and  feelings  of  their  guests,  on  the 
subject  of  the  moral  and  social  improvement  of  the  poor, 
evinced  no  desire  to  hide  their  light,  bui  rather  that  it 
should  be  seen,  and  judged  of  by  the  influence  it  was 


S42 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


exorfinj^,  and  that  it  might  pn)V(!  as  a  boacon,  either  to 
lead  or  to  warn. 

After  having-  enjoyed  a  social  chit-chat  within-doors, 
they  invited  their  company  to  take  a  stroll  through  the 
grounds  that  lay  but  a  short  distance  from  the  mansion 
They  had  not  gone  far  before  they  came  to  a  number  of 
cottages.  These  cottages  had  been  built  a  number  of 
years,  but,  by  neglect,  had  become  little  better  than 
buildings  u.^ed  for  tlie  shelter  of  domestic  animals. 
Since,  liowever.  Sir  George  had  come  into  possession 
of  the  estate,  by  a  complete  renovation  they  had  been 
rendered  both  comfortable  and  respectable.  And  tlien, 
there  iiad  l)een  added  to  each  of  these  cottages  a  few 
acres  of  land,  so  that  the  occupants,  by  their  own  labor, 
were  able  to  supply  themselves  with  the  common  neces- 
saries of  life,  besides  being  able  to  pay  a  small  rent. 
The  inmates,  both  male  and  female,  were  neat  and  clean, 
and  warmly  clad  ;  and,  addt^d  to  all  this,  tliey  seemed 
happy  and  cheerful,  and  their  manners  were  in  strict 
accordance  witli  their  station.  The  look  of  deep  sig- 
nificance which  each  face  assumed  cm  the  entrance  of 
Sir  George,  and  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  were 
with  him,  was  more  than  a  compensation  to  him  for  the 
expenditure  of  means  and  labor  that  had  accomplislied 
all  this.  Sir  George  informed  his  guests  that  his  wife 
had  a  number  of  these  cottages  on  the  estate,  many  of 
them  newly  built  ;  but  he  believed  that  these  would 
prove  fair  specimens  of  the  rest.  He  said  that  it  had 
long  been  impressed  on  his  mind  that  it  was  full  time 
that  the  aristocracy  of  the  land  should  take  into  tlieir 
most  serious  consideration  the  case  of  the  laboring  poor 
upon  their  estates.     They  had,  for  a  long  series  of  years, 


woman's  endurancp:. 


343 


Mther  to 

in-doors, 
)n<^h  tho 
naiision 
iinber  of 
iinbor  of 
tor  than 
animals. 
'Sscssi(jn 
ad  been 
id  tlien, 
s  a  fow 
Ti  lab(H', 
11  iioccs- 
all  rent, 
id  clean, 

seemed 
n  strict 
eep  sig'- 
'ance  of 
10  were 

for  the 
iplished 
his  wife 
many  of 
i  would 
-:  it  had 
ill  time 
to  their 
ng-  poor 
f  years, 


been  accumulatini^  vast  wealth,  the  product  of  their 
.patient  toil,  without  givino-  a  thouirht  to  tiieir  intellec- 
tual, social,  or  moral  status  ;  while  in  so  acting-  they 
had  deprived  themselves  of  a  source  of  the  highc^st  and 
purest  enjoyment.  "Tell  me  not  of  the  ii.crratitude  of 
the  poor,"  said  he  ;  *'  why,  for  my  part,  the  silent  greet- 
inor  I  received  from  those  humble  and  simple  cottagers 
is  of  hig-her  value  to  me  than  thousands  of  gohrand 
silver-where  the  full  tide  of  their  grateful'  feelings 
welled  up  from  the  deep  fountain  of  their  souls,  while 
their  countenances  plainly  told  unutterable  things." 

The  greatest   and   most  laudable  object  of  Lillian's 
ambition  was  a  large  and  a  well-ordenMl  school,  located 
at  some  considerable  distance  from  the  above  cottajroa. 
This  school  was  in  a  sequestered  spot,  and  surrounded 
by  nature  with  her  most  variegated  and  beautiful  haady- 
work  ;  while  skill  and  a  pure  taste  had  given  a   hiu'h 
artistic  finish  to  the  whole.     Close  by  then?  was  a  fomi- 
tain,  that  sent  forth  a  pure  bubbling  stream,  where  the 
youngsters  slaked  their  thirst  witii  nature's  nectar.    Th(» 
company  were  completely  surprised  and  highly  delighted 
in  surveying  this  display  of  a  combination' of  nature 
and  art.     But  on  entering  the  school  they  were  spell- 
bound, seeing  so  large  a  company  of  children,  great  and 
small,  so  neat  and  clean,  so  comfortably  clothed,  and  so 
orderly  in  their  behavior.     But  the  united  and  unquali- 
ficd  praise  of  the  company  was  elicited  on  beholding 
their  rosy,  healthy  cheeks,  their  bright,  sparkling  eyes^ 
and  their  happy,  cheerful,  buoyant  spirits.     It  was  inl 
deed   a  scene   which,  under  the   circumstances,  might 
gladden  the  heart  of  an  angel.     Here  was  exhibited  the 
legitimate  and  most  useful  employment  of  wealth  and 


V  i 


344 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OR, 


power  ;-i-and  tin's  was  a  sccruj  which  the  Christian  and 
benevolent  heart  that  planned  and  perfected  it,  could 
contemplate  and  reflect  upon  with  a  satislaction  angels 
inlg'ht  envy,  and  which  is  alike  beyond  the  experience 
and  the  comprehension  of  those  who  move  in  the  j^ay 
circles  of  fashion,  or  of  those  who  patronize  the  race- 
course and  the  gaming-table. 

One  would  have  supposed  that  the  party  could  not 
have  left  this  arena  of  moral  training,  without  having 
imbibed  sometliing  of  the  spirit  that  dictated  its  inaugu- 
ration and  pervaded  its  gov(?rnment.  And,  indeed,  a 
number  of  them  did  leave  the  place  with  a  conviction 
of  its  present  utility,  and  persuaded  of  its  ultimate  good 
efTects.  Soon,  however,  other  feelings  intruded,  prompted 
by  a  few  captious  minds,  which  counteracted  the  con- 
victions of  their  better  judgments.  This  will  hv  more 
fully  understood,  from  the  conversation  of  some  of  the 
leading  gentlemen  of  the  p«.rty.  We  would  obs(?rve, 
that  among  them  was  a  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  the 
British  army  :  there  was  also  an  officer  of  the  nav}'^,  a 
captain  of  a  British  man-of-war.  These  men  were  deeply 
imbued  with  the  spirit  that  influences  their  class,  and 
spoke  with  supreme  contempt  of  any  other  business  or 
profession  than  their  own  ;  and  they  were  esp(!cially 
fluent  in  discussing  the  merits  of  the  plans  and  proceed- 
ings of  Sir  George  and  Lady  Hargreaves.  They  con- 
tended that  those  plans  were  fraught  with  evil,  and 
would  only  lead  to  evil  ;  and  if  generally  carried  out, 
would  have  the  direct  tendency  to  raise  the  lower  orders 
in  their  own  estimation  ;  and  that  then  they  would 
always  be  troublesome  to  manage,  in  whatever  station 
they  were  placed.      The  feelings  of  the  colonel  were 


woman's  endurance. 


345 


ian  and 

t,  could 
angola 
crience 
he  j^ay 
e  race- 

nld  not 
having 
inaugu- 
ideed,  a 
iviction 
to  gor>d 
ompted 
he  con- 
)u  more 
)  of  the 
(bserve, 

of  the 
nav}'-,  a 
;  deeply 
iss,  and 
iness  or 
pecially 
:)roceed- 
ley  con- 
vi\,  and 
ied  out, 
r  orders 
r  would 

station 
el  were 


quite  excited,  as  he  exclaimed  :  "  Poor  devils,  what  are 
they,  and  what  would  they  he,  without  the  upjicr  classes 
to  lead  and  direct  them?"  Ho  declared,  that  if  he  had 
to  make  the  choice  of  lads  for  his  regiment,  between 
those  tutored  in  the  school  of  Lady  llargreaves  iuid 
those  ragged  little  urchins  he  was  very  near  shooting 
the  other  day,  he  would,  by  infinite  odds,  prefer  the 
latter  ;  for  it  takes  more  time,  and  is  ten  times  more 
trouble,  to  break  the  spirits  of  these  than  of  the  former. 
"Those  ragged  lads  you  catch  wild  out  of  the  lanes  and 
streets,"  lie  said,  "may  be  like  unbroken  cidts  at  first, 
but  physical  force  is  all  that  is  required  to  break  them 
in,  which  is  of  easy  application.  But  in  these  educfited 
lads,  you  have  a  moral  and  an  intellectual  power  to 
contend  with  ;  and  I  have  found,  in  my  military  expe- 
rience, that  ten  of  such  had  to  be  flogged  to  one  of  the 
other." 

Here  the  navy  officer  chimed  in,  with  a  blulf,  husky 
voice  :  "Aye,  aye,"  said  he,  "that's  so  ;  I  want  none  of 
Lady  Hargreaves'  pious,  pet  pupils  on  my  ship.  Give 
me  the  outcasts  of  society — those  rough  fellows  that 
nobody  cares  for,  or  thinks  them  worth  the  trouble  of 
looking  after,  except  as  jail-birds.  What  do  I  care,  if 
they  cannot  tell  me  the  difference  between  a  bee  or  a 
bull's  foot  ?  All  that  I  want  out  of  them,  is,  to  handle 
the  ropes,  and  work  the  guns,  and  be  able  to  stand  fire  ; 
and  if  they  don't  or  won't  do  these,  why,  I  know  a  way 
of  making  them." 

Very  great  deference  was  paid  to  the  opinions  of  tlujse 
magnates  in  blue  and  red  ;  for  a  number  of  the  gentle- 
men present  gave  a  hearty  assent  to  the  views  expressed 
by  them — entertaining,  like  them,  the  opinion  that  the 

15 


346 


THE    BLACK    PUANTOM;    OR, 


lowor  onlors  were  of  no  rnrtlier  utility  tlian  so  far  aft 
their  physical  powers  ini^lit  bt;  turned  to  a.ccount,  or  as 
a  kind  of  useful  aiiiiiial  (lru<lgeH.  Sir  Geor^'e  made  sev- 
eral attempts  to  ar<^uo  the;  point  with  them,  and  to  provo 
tliat  tliere  were  other  pursuits  besides  those  of  the  sol- 
dier and  the  sailor,  and  of  an  imp(jrtanc(!  not  inferior  to 
those  in  sustaining  and  advancing  the  prosperity  and 
greatness  of  the  State  ;  and  that  to  make  men  g(K)d 
citizens  was  tlie  only  sure  way  to  make  them  stanch 
patriots. 

On  the  enunciation  of  the  terms  citizen  and  patriot^ 
some  of  the  gentlemen  were  beside  themselves  with 
rage,  and  the  navy  and  military  officers  among  the  rest. 
In  the  mo.st  vehement  manner,  and  with  a  virulent  spirit, 
they  cried  out — "  Oh  yes,  we  know  where  you  were  in- 
oculated with  these  detestable  ideas  ;  you  have  imported 
them  from  across  the  water.  We  want  no  such  importa- 
tions into  this  happy  and  higlily-favored  land;' 

N(jtwithstanding  this  antagonism,  sometintes  strenu- 
ous and  bitter.  Sir  George  and  his  able  coadjutor  Lillian 
kept  on  in  the  even  tenor  of  their  way,  not  in  the  least 
deterred  in  the  accomplishment  of  their  noble  purpose, 
and  in  the  fulfilment  of  their  sublime  mission  ;  and  in 
this  they  had  the  encouragement  and  example  of  Mrs. 
Le  Clair  and  Lady  H.  They  too  had  consecrated  their 
great  wealtli  and  rare  talents  to  the  pleasing  and  praise- 
worthy task  of  lightening  the  burdens  of  the  'aboring 
poor  ;  and  of  placing  within  the  r"acl  of  then'  ofl'spiing 
the  means  for  acquiring  the  n(  mental  and  moral 

qualifications  to  enable  them  act  their  pcut  on  the 
stage  of  life,  with  credit  to  them.-.elv'  »  and  with  profit 
to  the  world.     They  justly  observed  that  the  intellectual 


WOMAN  S    ENDURANCE. 


347 


and  moral  irnprovcrnunt  of  tlio  operativi;  and  laborinf^ 
portion  of  the  coiniiumity,  would  raiso  the  country  liij^licr, 
not  only  in  the  estimation  of  all  ri<:,-iit-lliiiiking  men,  bul, 
what  was  inlinitoly  more  important,  in  that  of  ileavon, 
than  all  the  victories  achieved  by  navy  or  army  since 
the  nation  beg-an. 


34:8 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

How  oftoii  are  the  ways  of  Providence  shrouded  in 
sucli  (h^c\)  mystery,  that  we  are  ready  to  conclude  there 
is  something-  unjust,  if  not  unwise,  in  occurrences  that 
take  place  under  our  observation  1  We  will  see  an 
illustration  of  this  in  the  painful  incidents  we  are  about 
to  narrate. 

The  reader  is  already  fully  informed  of  the  varied 
vicissitudes  through  which  Mrs,  Le  Clair  has  had  to 
struggle  during  the  whole  of  her  eventful  life  ;  but 
after  her  painful  experiences,  we  have  been  happily  re- 
lieved by  seeing  her  erne'  ge"  from  a  state  of  care  and 
suffering  to  the  enjoyment  of  comfort  and  the  possession 
of  wealth,  and  scattering  the  blessings  of  her  bounty 
with  an  unsparing  hand  ;  and  it  is  delightful  to  con- 
template the  vast  amount  of  good  that  is  sometimes 
accomplished  by  a  single  self-sacrificing  and  generous 
man  or  woman.  A  melancholy  a!id  sad  sight  it  is  to  see 
a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  when  that  luminary  is  on  the 
meridian,  but  it  is  infinitely  more  sad  to  see  such  man 
or  woman  arrested  in  a  career  redounding  so  greatly  to 
their  own  honor,  and  so  beneficiol  to  their  race. 

We  have  been  greatly  pained,  through  the  whole 
coui'se  of  our  narrative,  in  narrating  afflicting  events  in 
the  life  of  Mrs.  Le  Chiir  ;  but  who,  under  happier  aus- 
pices, completely  absorbed  by  a  spirit  of  goodness,  had 


^ 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


349 


iided  in 
ie  there 
ces  that 
see  an 
'e  about 

!  varied 
had  to 
fe  ;    but 
3pily  re- 
are  and 
■^session 
bounty 
to  con- 
netimes 
enerous 
s  to  see 
3  on  the 
ich  man 
eatly  to 

;  whole 
^ents  iu 
ier  aus- 
3SS,  had 


of  late,  with  other  able  lieads,  been  ocenpied  in  matur- 
ing- in  her  mind  a  vast  system  to  aecomplish  the  g-reat 
work  her  benevolent  heart  had  proposed.  Bat  the  la- 
bors of  the  day,  as  well  as  sle<!pless  nig-hts,  began  to 
tell  upon  lier  yet  noble  frame,  and,  added  to  the  efleets 
of  an  over-taxed  brain,  gave  painful  evidence  that  her 
endurance  was  not  what  it  had  been  twenty  years  be- 
fore. Yet  her  active  spirit  would  not  allow  her  to  take 
the  repose  her  physical  system  now  required.  It  was 
evident  that  fatal  consequences  would  ensue  from  these 
long-continued  labors,  resulting"  in  the  exhaustion  of 
mental  force  and  prostration  of  physical  energy.  And, 
indeed,  so  it  was  ;  for  in  this  debilitated  state  of  body 
and  mind,  which  rendered  her  keenly  susceptible  to  the 
attacks  of  disease,  she  made  her  accustomed  call  on  a 
poor  family,  some  of  the  members  of  which  were  alflicted 
with  a  malignant  type  of  scarlet  fever.  On  the  night 
succeeding'  this  incautious  visit,  she  complained  of  pains 
in  her  head  and  soreness  of  throat.  Still,  she  added 
neglect  to  her  temerity  ;  for  she  refused,  until  too  late, 
to  seek  the  relief  or  to  apply  the  remedies  prudence 
ought  to  have  dictated.  Alas  1  she  felt  too  self-confident, 
relying  on  the  strength  of  her  constitution  and  tho  vigor 
of  her  fvame,  which  had  survived  so  many  shocks,  and 
which  she  believed  would  now  again  rally  their  forces, 
and  bid  defiance  to  the  present  attack  of  disease.  But, 
when  too  late,  she  was  sadly  undeceived,  and  then  found 
the  best  medical  sjdll  conipletely  at  fault,  and  all  reme- 
dial appliances  of  no  avail. 

Before  the  disease  had  advanced   many  stag(>s,  Mrs 
Le  Clair  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  conviction  that 
her  days  were  numbered,  and  that  this  sickness  would 


eS50 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OK, 


snrel}^  be  unto  deatli.  NotwitliHtanding  this  pe'-suasion, 
liovvevcr,  lier  mind  exhibited  more  of  joy  than  of  any 
otii(!r  emotion,  so  far  as  her  own  case  was  in  question. 
But  when  tiie  tiiougiit  of  the  niany  pensioners  on  her 
bounty  crossed  her  mind,  slie  exiiibited  intense  anxiety. 
As  she  expressed  herself,  she  was  leaving  them  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd,  and  as  lambs  among  wolves  ;  and 
soon,  all  her  expenditure  of  time,  and  toil,  and  means 
would  be,  as  it  wen;,  scattered  to  the  winds,  and  the 
bright  hopes  and  pleasing  prospects  in  which  many  a 
poor  family  had  been  of  late  luxuriating,  would  be  for- 
ever blighted.  But  so  weakened,  bodily  and  mentally, 
did  she  become  in  the  progress  of  the  fatal  malady,  that 
very  soon  that  good  and  noble  mind  was  a  mere  wreck, 
driftincr  at  random  in  a  sea  of  wild  fancies  and  incon- 
gruous  imaginations.  But  whenever  a  few  lucid  mo- 
ments were  permitted  her,  the  same  praiseworthy  objects 
and  noble  themes  that  had  engaged  lier  attention  through 
life,  were  still  the  objects  of  her  solicitude  and  the  bur- 
den of  her  ihougiits. 

That  once  noble  frame  and  nobler  mind  at  length 
succumbed  to  the  fiat  that  had  gone  forth — the  body  re- 
turned to  the  dust,  and  the  spirit  to  God  who  gave  it. 

In  the  death  of  Mrs.  Le  Clair  we  behold  the  departure 
of  no  ordinary  character.  Her  very  being  was  closely 
linked  with  the  destiny  of  many  others  ;  and  the  inter- 
ests that  held  these  parties  in  so  close  a  bond  of  union 
were  of  so  vital  a  nature,  and  at  the  same  time  so  varied 
and  far-reaching  in  their  influence,  that  it  was  no  wonder 
the  C(jnsternation  at  the  sad  event  was  so  wide-spruad 
and  so  overwhelming.  And  then  it  must  be  remembered 
that  it  was  not  the  wealthy  and  the  noble  of  the  neigh- 


woman's  endurance. 


351 


'•suasion, 
11  of  any 
qiK'stioii. 
s  on  hor 

anxiety. 

as  sheep 
^^es  ;  and 
id   means 

and  the 
1  many  a 
Id  be  for- 
nientally, 
ady,  tliat 
re  wreck, 
tid  incon- 
lucid  mo- 
ly  objects 
1  through 
i  the  bur- 
it  length 
!  body  re- 
;ave  it. 
departure 
.s  closely 
the  inter- 

of  union 
so  varied 
10  wonder 
de-sproad 
riembered 
;ic  neigh- 


borhood who  were  to  bo  affi  cted  by  this   sad   bereave- 
m(^nt,  and  who  might  have  exhibited  the  .'ippearance  of 
sorrow  by  outward  show  and  empty  pageantry.     No,  it 
was   tlie   poor   and   tiie  destitute  of   the    neighborhood, 
whom   Mrs.  Le  Clair  liad   befriended,  and  who  now  ex- 
hibited the  genuine   emotions  of  their  smitten   hearts. 
Tiiat  was  a  sorrowful  sight  indeed,  that  included  in  the 
rank  of  mourners  the  man  and  the  woman  of  gray  hairs, 
borne   down   with   the  weight  of  years,  the   man    and 
maiden  in  vigorous  youth,  and  children  through  all  tlie 
gradations  of  age  down  to  lisping  childhood— all  ex- 
hibiting in  their  countenances,  with  intense  grief  for  the 
loss  of  their  best  earthly  friend,  despair  of  the  future. 
These  poor  people  had  of  late  been  living,  as  it  were,  in  a 
new  world,  and  had  been  breathing  a  heart-reforming, 
soul-purifying   moral    atmosphere.      Mrs.   Le  Clair  had 
been  their  great  central  luminary,  diffusing  light  and 
gladness    over   the    dreary   wastes    of   their   neglected 
hearts,   and   eliciting    those    moral    and  social   virtues, 
which  had   bid  fair  to   remodel  the  very  structure  of 
society  itself.     But  now,  that  light  had  been   stricken 
from  the  firmament  of  these  poor  people  ;   and  from  the 
bright  and  beauteous  beams  of  day,  by  a  sudden  transi- 
tion, they  had  been  launched  into  the  ghjom  of  midnight. 
But,  perhaps  the  most  distressing  object  presented  to 
our  contemplation,  is  the  sorrow  and  anguish  of  Lillian— 
so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  called  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  her  mother.     A  special  messenger  had  conveyed  tiic 
sad  and  startling  intelligence  to  her.     She  was  already 
in  full  travelling  dress,  and  waiting  for  her  carriage  to 
make  an  already  arranged  visit  to  some  of  the  neighbor- 
ing gentry.     No  sooner,  however,  did  she  comprehend 


V!i 


352 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;    OB, 


the  character  of  the  diatresaing  message,  than  she  gave 
a  few  necessary  and  hasty  instructions  to  her  house- 
keeper, accompanied  with  a  request  for  her  husband  to 
follow  her.  Laying  strict  injunctions  on  her  coachman 
to  drive  with  all  speed  to  the  next  post-town,  with  a 
relay  of  fresh  post-horses,  she  urged  on  her  way  to  the 
estate  where  her  beloved  mother  lay  in  so  critical  a  con- 
dition. But,  though  it  was  early  in  the  day  when  she 
started,  owing  to  the  distance  and  the  state  of  the  roads 
it  was  just  at  sunrise  on  the  next  morning  when  she 
arrived  at  the  residence  of  her  mother.  But,  wearied  as 
she  was  with  travel,  and  oppressed  as  was  her  mind 
with  grief,  quick  was  her  passage  from  her  carriage  to 
the  bedside  of  her  beloved  parent.  Her  keen  eye  soon 
discovered  that  her  mother  was  hopelessly  ill.  It  so 
happened,  however,  that  Mrs.  Le  Clair  was  in  one  of 
her  lucid  moments,  which  alleviated  somewhat  the  sor- 
row of  Lillian  ;  for  she  at  once  recognized  her  daughter, 
and  in  a  pathetic  manner,  and  with  gentle  expression, 
said  :  "My  own  Lillian,  my  dear  Lillian,  you  are  just 
in  time."  But,  no  sooner  had  she  given  utterance  to 
these  few  affectionate  words  than  her  mind  w:as  again 
wandering.  In  vain  did  Lillian,  by  various  little  arts, 
endeavor  to  so  fix  the  attention  of  her  mother  as  to  draw 
a  few  rational  words  from  her  lips  ;  for  the  fell  destroyer 
had  nearly  accomplialied  his  work,  and  she  could  only 
be  the  passive  and  grief-stricken  spectator  of  the  closing 
melancholy  scene  before  her. 

JuKst  as  the  pure  spirit  of  Mrs.  Le  Chiir  had  taken  its 
departure,  and  while  the  first  burst  of  Lillian's  grief 
was  at  its  height,  her  husband  entered  the  room.  The 
Borrow  which  he  very  naturally  felt  at  the  loss  of  Mrs. 


"1 


woman's  endurance. 


353 


he  gave 
•  house- 
band  to 
achmaii 
,  with  a 
y  to  the 
il  a  con- 
hen  she 
je  roads 
hen  she 
aried  as 
er  mind 
riage  to 
ye  soon 
.    It  so 
L  one  of 
the  sor- 
aughter, 
3ression, 
are  just 
ranee  to 
IS  again 
tie  arts, 
to  draw 
estroyer 
uld  only 
3  closing 

:aken  its 

n's  grief 

m.     The 

of  Mrs. 


Le  Clair,  was  now  diverted  to  Lillian,  who  was  in  a 
paroxysm  of  grief  ^hat  threatened  the  stability  of  her 
mental  powers.  Tlie  heart  and  mind  of  Lillian  seemed 
to  be  so  constituted,  that  whatever  passion  liad  sway 
for  the  moment,  it  usurped  the  control  of  her  whole 
being.  Whether  it  was  love,  or  grief,  or  anger,  that 
was  called  into  action,  all  other  passions  and  feelings 
were  instinctively  held  in  abeyance. 

It  was  no  wonder,  under  the  circumstances,  that  Sir 
George  was  utterly  at  a  loss  how  to  act.  It  was  true 
he  had  on  one  occasion  seen  his  wife  in  a  fit  of  anger, 
and  was  terrified  at  the  sight ;  but  now,  touched  by  a 
sympathetic  feeling,  he  was  subdued  before  the  over- 
whelming and  passionate  grief  of  Lillian.  It  was  the  in- 
tensity of  her  love  for  her  mother  which  gave  such  point 
and  force  to  her  sorrow,  aided  as  it  was  by  the  i)eculiar 
traits  of  her  mind.  Eventful  aS  had  been  her  life,  and 
trying  as  had  been  some  of  the  scenes  through  wiiich 
she  had  been  called  to  pass,  there  had  been  no  ailliction 
which  had  made  so  deep  an  impressit)n  upon  her  heart 
as  the  one  that  she  was  now  called  upon  to  bear.  It 
was  feared  by  her  husband,  as  well  as  by  her  attendants, 
that  the  worst  consequences  might  follow  this  prostra- 
tion of  her  mental  and  physical  powers  \,  but  what  were 
the  feelings  of  all  when  they  were  informed  by  the  piiy- 
sician  that  she  was  laboring  under  an  attack  of  tin;  most 
virulent  type  of  typhus  fever,  caught,  no  doubt,  in  at- 
tendance on  her  mother  in  her  sickness,  and  intensified 
by  the  morbid  state  of  her  own  mind  !  15e  that  as  it 
may,  it  was  soon  found  that  neither  the  skill  of  pliysi- 
cians  nor  the  virtues  of  medicines  were  of  any  avail. 
The  disease,  by  its  rapid  strides,  gave  evidence  that  all 


354 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


attompts  wero  futile  to  stay  its  onward  progress.  Lillian 
had  at  longtli  found  an  enemy  she  could  not  subdue  or 
bond  to  her  will.  On  the  contrary,  this  foe  soon  laid 
her  prostrate  at  his  own  feet ;  for  in  a  little  more  than  a 
fortnig-Jit  after  the  mournful  ceremonies  of  her  mother's 
funeral  she  herself  was  numbered  with  the  dead,  and 
soon  conveyed  to  the  same  resting-place,  and  laid  by  the 
side  of  her  whom  she  had  loved  so  well. 

It  is  in  vain  that  poor  purblind  mortals  speculate  on 
the  doings  of  Providence.  Unquestioning  submission  is 
our  duty.  In  this  case,  as  well  as  in  numberless  others 
of  a  similar  mysterious  character,  we  should  call  to  mind 
and  apply  the  aphorism  which  Lady  H.  placed  in  her 
letters  to  Mrs.  Le  Clair,  "  What  thou  knowest  not  now, 
thou  shalt  know  hereafter." 


1 


WOMANS    ENDURANCE. 


355 


■i.  Lillian 
subdue  or 
soon  laid 
)re  than  a 
•  mother's 
dead,  and 
lid  by  the 

culate  on 
nission  is 
ss  others 
11  to  mind 
id  in  her 
not  now, 


CONCLUSION. 

The  above  melancholy  events,  as  mig-ht  well  be  sup- 
posed, affected  painiuUy  the  mind  of  Lady  H,  who  wiis 
now  far  advanced  in  life,  and  of  course  not  so  able  t„ 
grapple  with  circumstances  as  formerly.     From  the  in- 
dications of  her  character,  as  they  have  been  unfoldcMl 
to   our  view  in  the   foregoing  narrative,  it  must  have 
been   perceived   that   she   was  a  wcjman   of  undoubted 
piety,  of  great  decision,  and  of  strong  convicticjns.     To 
all  outward  appearance,  the  gr_at  purposes  of  her  life- 
labor,   and  the   objects  of  her  Christian   patience,   had 
equally  been   doomed  to   partial  disappointment,  in  so 
far  as  she  had  cherished  the  hope  of  placing  jier  niece, 
Mrs.  Le  Clair,  not  only  in  jxxssession  of  the  patrimony 
of  her  father,  but  in  the  enjoyment  also,  through  a  long 
life,  of  her   high  position,   in  which   she   could  emph.y 
her  newly-acquired  wealth  in  supplying  the  wants  and 
soothing  the  sorrows  of  many  a  child  of  woe.     But,  mi- 
der  this  painful  bereavement,  with  the  consequent  pros- 
tration of  her  long-cherished  hopes,  there  was  no  fretful 
questioning  (;f  the  doings  of  Providence  ;  en  the  con- 
trary, a  meek  submission  to  the  dispensation.     She  re- 
marked, that  if  she  could   be  favored  with   a  personal 
interview  with  her  Saviour,  and  were  permitted  to  inter- 
rogate Him  on  these  mysterious  doings,  Pie  would,  no 
doubt,  say  to  her,  "  Wliat  1  do  thou  knowest  not  now 


356 


THE    BLACK    PHANTOM;     OR, 


but  tlion  shult  know  hcroaftor."  In  this  spirit  of  Cliris- 
tian  rcsi^'iiation  to  the  divine  will  she  lived  but  a  few 
iiioiitlis,  when  she  too  was  gathered  to  her  home  in 
peace. 

The  same  tomb  incloses  the  precious  dust  belonging 
to  these  three,  choice  spirits  ;  aiid  it  shall  rest  there,  till 
it  be  reaTiiniated,  and  raised  in  the  full  vigor  and  glory 
of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  God,  on  the  morning  of  tlie 
resurrection.  To  die  was  gain  to  these  tiiree  worthy 
women,  but  by  their  death  a  void  was  left  in  the  locality 
in  which  they  had  been  so  honorably  occupied,  which,  to 
all  appearance,  could  not  again  be  filled.  Sir  George 
Ilargreaves,  though  so  stanch  and  noble  in  his  manhood, 
had  linally  to  succumb  to  the  overwlu^lming  influenc^e 
brought  to  bear  upon  him  by  the  neighboring  aristocrats, 
and  all  the  improvements  accomplished  and  in  progress 
under  the  energetic  and  able  administration  of  Lillian, 
were  swept  away.  Things  again  reverted  to  their  old 
conditi(m,  that  of  a  moral  and  social  wildernes^'  The 
nobility  and  gentry  of  the  neighborhood  breathed  with 
more  freedom,  now  that  the  elevation  of  the  lower  or- 
ders— by  educatioij,  and  consequent  moral  and  social 
improvement — seemed  to  be  indefinitely  postponed.  But, 
ah  !  could  we  have  the  opportunity  of  whispering  in  the 
ears  of  these  self-deluded  dupes,  we  would  tell  them  that 
the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  it  will  not  be  the  influ- 
ence of  a  few  women  with  which  they  will  have  to  con- 
tend, but  with  the  stern  wills  and  determined  energy  of 
heaven-inspired  men.  These  men  may  enlist  on  their 
side  the  sympathies,  and  perhaps  the  passions,  of  the 
masses  ;  and  what  then,  if  the  pleadings  of  reason  and 
the  demands  of  justice  should  be  disregarded?     Why, 


woman's  endurance. 


357 


of  Cliris- 

but  a  few 

home   in 

belonginj^ 
there,  till 
and  1^1  ory 
inp,'  of  the 
:e  worthy 
10  locality 
,  which,  to 
ir  Georn'e 
manliood, 
influence 
ristocrats, 
1  prof2;'ress 
uf  Lillian, 
3  their  old 
les-  The 
ithed  with 
lower  Gr- 
ind social 
ned.  Bat, 
■ing  in  the 
them  that 
the  influ- 
ic  to  con- 
energy  of 
t  on  their 
ins,  of  the 
'easoQ  and 
i?     Why, 


the  flimsy  barri(3rs  of  conventional  lines  may  prove  but 
as  cobwebs  bef(jre  the  united  demonstration  of  an  indig- 
nant  nation. 

We  cannot  allow  our  narrative  to  close,  without  a 
parting  allusion  to  the  charactr     and  doings  of  the  Rev. 
James   Wilson,   rector  of  the.    «'     :  ,h,   and   recii)ient  of 
large  revenues,  as   the   incumbent  of  the   church   con- 
nected with  the  estate   lately  held    by  Mrs.   Le   Clair. 
We  have   already  alluded  to  the  apparent  reli(;f  exi)e- 
rienced  by  the  majority  of  the  neighboring  nobility  and 
gentry  on  the  death  of  the  three  ladies  wiio  have  been 
the  subjects  of  our  narrative.     Their  fears  had  been  ex- 
cited, and  they  had  been  tormenting  themselves  with  all 
sorts  of  surmisings,  as  to  what  might  be  the  results  of 
the   dangerous   enterprise    in    which    these    benevolent 
ladies  were  engaged  with  so  much  zeal.     But,  jjerhaps, 
there  was  not  a  single  individual  in  all  that  district  of 
country,  whose  actions  evinced  so  clearly  as  Wilson's 
that  he  was  now  relieved  froiu  the  restraint  under  which 
he  had  been  held  by  the  strong  mind  of  the  late  Mrs.  Le 
Clair.     He  now  felt  himself  free  to  -j^ct  according  to  the 
dictates  of  his  own  selfish  and  avaricious  disposition. 
It  is  really  a  misfortune  when  a  man  of  a  kind  and  gen- 
erous heart  is  bound  down  and  trammelled  by  a  vicious 
system,  to  which  he  must  shape  his  whole  conduct  in 
his  intercourse  with  those  from  whom  he  must  receive 
his  support.     There  is  almost  sure  to  be  engendered  a 
spirit  of  bitterness,  induced  by  the  very  workings  of  tlie 
system  by  wliich  all  the  business  transactions  with  each 
other  must  be  regulated.     But,  in  the  Rev.  James  Wil- 
son we  find  a  mind  in  every  way  formed,  and  ever  ready, 
to  act  in  full  accordance  with  the  worst  features  of  the 


35S 


THE  Br.ACK  phantom;   or, 


13' 

1  •' 


*<ystem  now  uiulor  coiiHidcration.  With  a  mind  stuffed 
with  mental  abstractions,  witli  knowlcdg'o  chiefly  maao 
np  of  teclinicalitios,  aitl  ouf^h  well  versed  in  booWogic, 
he  was,  nevertheless,  utterly  unable  to  read  or  to  under- 
stand the  log-ic  of  events.  Hence,  \'C  may  naturally 
suppose  that  he  would  prove  a  stickler  lor  all  his  vested 
rights,  and  would,  without  any  scruples,  sternly  demand 
his  pound  of  flesh.  The  vicious  system  under  which  he 
acted,  threw  a  safeguard  around  all  his  exactions,  and 
his  victims  lay  utterly  helpless  at  his  feet  ;  and  to  all 
their  appeals  to  his  better  nature,  he  replied  by  referring 
them  to  the  laws  both  of  church  and  state,  which  secured 
to  liira  his  tithes.  At  the  same  time,  he  could  not  n?- 
move  the  impression  from  the  minds  of  his  parishioners, 
that  what  he  extorted  from  them  by  tithe-gathering,  was 
nothing  less  than  legal  robbery.  And  at  their  social 
gatherings  and  convivial  meetings,  with  a  full  glass, 
and  a  hearts  cfood-will,  they  would  drink  their  favorite 


ney 


toast — "  T(^  the  death  of  the  black  slugs  that  devour  a 
tenth  of  the  poor  man's  earnings  1" 


11(1  stuflbd 
icily  rnacio 
)ook-l()<^-i(;, 
'  to  iin(l<M-- 
natn  rally 
his  vested 
ly  deinaiul 
'  which  he 
itioiis,  and 
irid  to  all 
,'■  referring 
;h  secured 
jld  not  re- 
•ishioners, 
sriiig,  was 
leir  social 
ull  glass, 
r  favorite 
,  devour  a 


